Autumn Leaves
by Nature9000
Summary: When tragedy leads her down a dark path, hell-bent on revenge, Trina falls into a life of crime. She finds herself torn between her moralistic upbringing and happiness found upon the darker path. No matter how she searches for peace, she is pulled back in by anger and lust for vengeance. How far will she go for peace? How deep will this life lead her? What price is redemption?
1. Flashes of Crimson

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N: This story I am writing gets its base from a dream my grandfather told me about long ago that he wanted me to write. I don't remember much, but what I do remember is enough. I've not done a story quite like this. It will detail the inner fight with oneself. A complex tale, I'm sure you will enjoy.

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Chapter 1 (Flashes of Crimson)

Lightning cracked through the bleak sky as rain poured down, drenching the twenty year old woman's caramel brown hair and concealing her tears. Trina Vega held her stomach and clenched her teeth as pain jolted through her body. Her hair fell before her bruised face and swollen cheeks, and blood trickled from the corner of her lip.

Hatred flowed inside the cesspool of emotions swirling within her gut. Her eyes drifted up, peering through the strands of hair before her eyes. _"Sinjin!"_ The shriek rang aloud in her head as the gunshot echoed in the sky. The memory of her boyfriend falling to his knees, shot in the back by a man she'd turned down.

That man was the son of one of LA's most powerful judges, Samuel Ross. _"I'm not going to go out with you, I have a boyfriend!" Trina pushed Ross away and stormed out of the college doors, ignoring Ross as he threatened her and her boyfriend. As if his threats would get her to dump Sinjin for him._ The sky lit up with a dangerous flash, signaling Trina's gaze. She watched as the rain shimmered in the moon's luminescent glow. Her chest heaved as the thunder continued to conceal already unheard sobs.

She brought up the threat to her father in hopes that he would do something, but he didn't. The man just laughed it off, as if she wasn't worth the time. Holly was too busy texting her damned boyfriend to care, and of course Tori's friends pretended to be blissfully unaware of anything.

Tori however, her sweet little sister did seem concerned, even if it was a mild concern. She told her it probably wasn't anything serious, and tried to reassure her things would be fine. That went well until her friends entered and Tori had to start acting like she didn't see Trina anymore.

This exchange happened only two weeks ago. Three days before the worst day of Trina's life. It started out like any other, a strangely warm day for the first day of fall. She never liked the season, even though it was supposed to be beautiful. Spring was beautiful, fall was the harbinger of death. The trees would lose their leaves, growing bare, and leading into winter, the coldest and most dreadful time of year.

_"Looking forward to tonight's movie?" Sinjin asked. Trina tangled her fingers with his and looked up to him as they stopped in the shade of a maple tree. The wind blew through her hair, causing the leaves to tear from their branch and shoot past her in the breeze. Sinjin reached for a stray leaf stuck in her hair, laughing as he gently removed it._

_ "I can't wait for the movie to start, just like I can't wait for this season to end."_

_ "Fall hasn't even started yet, Trina."_

_ "I know! I'd be perfectly content with spring all year around." He laughed again, which brought a smile to her face. She let her head drift to his shoulder and closed her eyes. "I love you so much…" It was then that she felt a strong force push her, followed within a millisecond by a deafening boom. Her eyes widened as blood splashed out onto her and Sinjin started to fall. "S-Sinjin! No!" She twisted around to see Ross pointing a smoking gun. He smirked as she fell to her knees, trembling beside Sinjin as his crimson blood stained the golden leaves on the ground. She felt a jolt of nausea, disbelief, fear, and anger coursing through her veins as she cradled Sinjin's dying body. "Sinjin no! Talk to me! Sinjin! Please don't do this to me!" Her head dropped to his chest while Ross merely laughed. Destroying her. _

_ "You shouldn't have turned me down, bitch…"_

She gained no sympathy from Tori's friends after the murder, but they didn't understand. It mattered little to Trina that they didn't realize how close she'd been to him. They expected her to just bounce back and get over it, like he was some sort of freak. They didn't understand how much she loved him! Only her sister. Her father arrested Ross, but there would be no trial. There would be no outstanding arrest. Ross's dad used his power and affluence to keep his son and his own name clean.

Sinjin would see no justice.

Trina finally picked herself up and went to confront him, to tell him to turn himself in. She wanted to beat him, she wanted to fight him, but she knew with his father's power, he would just turn it against her. The asshole thought she was going to come crying to him, acting as if he hadn't committed a grisly murder.

She refused him again, called him an asshole and a murderer, but he laughed in her face. Swearing not to get into a physical fight, resisting every powerful urge to strike him, Trina turned to leave. When she did, he slammed her against a wall and proceeded to beat her.

His fists dug into her abdomen, her jaw, and when she'd fallen to the ground, he kicked her in the ribs. The only thing stopping him from killing her had been his father running around the corner. When Trina picked herself up and limped away, Ross had threatened to finish the job if she tried to go to the police.

_ It had been raining when Trina returned home, and she was drenched. When she entered the house, she was startled to see all Tori's friends sitting around the living room. They couldn't see her tears or the bruises. "Geez what happened to you?" Beck asked with his cocky, arrogant tone. She creased her forehead and locked her jaw as she stared at him. She hated him as much as she hated the others. This man would constantly restrain her, insult her, and he never once apologized. None of Tori's other friends were any better. She didn't need their pity._

_ "I fell…" _

_ "Fell?" Beck started to laugh, injuring Trina without throwing a single punch. After a minute, Jade smacked his shoulder and he shut up. "Sorry, I just figured-I don't know…I guess no one's ever faulted you for being coordinated."_

_ "Beck shut up," Andre jeered. Trina's heart lifted for a second as she hoped someone was finally going to stick up for her. "It's not the girl's fault she was built clumsy."_

_ "I am not clumsy!" She exclaimed at the top of her lungs. She was a damned black belt in martial arts, and a gymnast when she was five! "You assholes don't know what you're saying!"_

_ "Dang Vega, don't be so touchy, we're just teasing…"_

_ "Well maybe I don't want to be teased right now…"_

_ "Guys she's right," Jade came to her defense, or so it seemed. "She might have gotten mud on her clothes. Look, her shirt's all smudged." Trina peered down at her shirt and moaned at the dark spots. _

_ "That's it. I want you assholes to leave the house!" _

_ "What's going on now?" David came around the corner and raised an eyebrow at her. "Trina, are you giving them a hard time again?" He put his hand to his forehead and groaned. "Sorry, can't think right now. Dealing with your mother is not pleasant."_

_ "Don't worry dad, I'm sure whatever issues you're dealing with are more important." She glared at the friends, then her father, still remembering that the man never wanted her around anyway. She turned away just as Tori started making her way into the room, then fled the house. _

As the thunder roared above her, she pulled her knees closer to her chest and buried her face into them. She'd ran all the way to Hollywood Arts and was sitting at the very spot she first met Sinjin. "Y-You wouldn't let them talk to me like that. What am I supposed to do now?" Her voice was hoarse and her throat burned. She gazed up to the sky, continuing to bargain with whatever God that was up there.

She used to be Christian, she still was, but it was getting harder to believe in a benevolent God. There was a church nearby, she could have run there, but she didn't feel like praying was going to help her out now. "I hate them…I hate them!" She screamed her profanities into the wind. "I'm not going back there-I can't go back there…"

"I thought I heard someone out here…" She tensed and snapped her icy glare towards the speaker. There was a man standing under the roof of the outdoor cafeteria. He had dark shaggy hair with bangs hanging in front of his onyx gaze. He was clad in a black leather jacket, black jeans and a dark olive green shirt. "Get out of the rain unless you want to get pneumonia."

"I could hardly care about getting sick right now." The man leaned back and Trina turned away, expecting him to leave. As she watched his shadow on the ground, created by the moonlight, she was startled to see him still standing.

"Come on. You don't look like you even belong here."

"No offense-but neither do you."

"Well! I see we've found common ground." She rolled her eyes and shot a violent glare towards the man. "So…forgive me for prying-" He sat on the edge of one of the table benches. "Why are you crying out? Who wronged you so much that you're willing to just give it all up? That is-if you're planning on that…" She scoffed at him and shut her eyes. Suicide? She'd considered it very strongly on her way over. She knew it wouldn't be right, though.

"I don't want to die…"

"No? Then get out of the rain." Frustrated and past the point of caring, she rose up and walked under the roof. She pat down her shirt and pulled her hair back. The man took one look at her face and frowned. "What happened? What coward of a man hit you?"

"The man that murdered my boyfriend…my sister's friends don't even care and the asshole's getting away with murder."

"Are you fuckin' serious?"

"I guess it doesn't matter now." She made her way to the table and sat beside him. She wiped away her tears and struggled to calm the beating of her heart. "All I want is-I don't know."

"You look like you're in a lot more pain than just a beating."

"If it's any consolation, I'd rather not talk about it right now-but thanks for your concern." She was grateful for _any_ concern at the moment. She took a deep breath and clenched her fists on her legs. "I-I have nowhere to go. I can't go back to that house right now."

"There are dry clothes in the school with my friends." She studied him closely, suspicious, but at the same time she felt oddly comfortable. This was the first time anyone was showing her some real concern, and she appreciated it. "Tiffany and Vivian will help you out if you'd like."

"What are you doing in that school? You look too old to be here, _plus_ it's closed." She froze and her eyes drifted towards the building. Was this place a gang hideout? Was this man a part of a gang? Her heart began to pound and a sudden urgency swept over her. "I…You know, I don't care. If I can clean up, that's enough for me. I'm Katrina…Katrina Vega. You?"

"Jesse Klein. Good to meet you, Katrina-or do you prefer Trina?"

"Doesn't matter." She hopped off the table and started for the school. Her hand hovered over the doorknob as she contemplated entering the building. On one hand, it was trespassing and wrong, but on the other hand, she had nowhere else to turn to. Would anyone care if she broke the rules? No. None of that mattered anymore. "You…I won't ask what you and your friends do, but do you lead them?"

"I am the boss, yes." Jesse walked up behind her and reached around, carefully opening the door and holding it open for her. He seemed to understand the meaning behind her question. "Let's get you cleaned up."

"Thank you…" Swallowing her uncertainty, she entered the old school. There were a group of three men and three women near the lockers. The women looked up to her and Jesse walked ahead, informing them that they needed to escort her to the laundry area. As the door closed behind her, she questioned what she had just walked into.

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That door closing is symbolism and there is meaning behind "autumn leaves". Also if you get a chance, look up "Autumn Leaves" by Trish-it is not at all what inspired this story, but a song shown to me by a friend that said the premise of this tale reminded her a little of the song, that it goes just a bit with it. Before you ask, Ross only beat her up, nothing more. The further pain Jesse mentions is the sadness in her eyes in regards to everything else going on. And yes, if you recognize Jesse's name, there is a reason, he's the same Jesse from "Pariah" but different at the same time. He's not the antagonist. The antagonist is an antagonistic force-the inner struggle. Let me know what you think so far, I hope you'll stick around for the ride! Enjoy!


	2. Comfort in the Strangest of Places

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

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Chapter 2 (Comfort in the Strangest Place)

Trina hovered over the school dryer, wearing a baggy white shirt and a knee length pink skirt that she kept tugging at. She couldn't stand skirts or the color pink, but it was all the girls had on them at the time. Beside her were Tiffany and Vivian. Tiffany was a blonde haired girl with pink shades and a lollipop in her mouth. She had a white spaghetti strap tank top and mini-shorts. Vivian was a redhead with long wavy hair, a short sleeved purple shirt and long bellbottom jeans. Trina considered her the lucky one as far as pants went.

She was a little scared to talk to either of the girls, but at the same time, she didn't want to seem antisocial. The first thing that came to her mind was asking if they came here often. Trina immediately struck that from her brain and asked the second thought. "So is this a common spot for all of you guys to hang out at? Do you ever run into trouble here?" Vivian leaned against her right arm on the washer and flashed a friendly smile. She was able to relax her tense nerves and let herself be calmed by the girl's kindness.

"We don't usually hang out here. It is, however, one of the many hangout spots we have. You just happened to catch us on a night we're here. I'm glad, too." Vivian pushed herself up and looked to the ceiling as they listened to the thunder outside. "It sounds pretty nasty out there. You could have caught a cold or something." She tugged at the warm, dry shirt and gave Tiffany an appreciative look.

"Speaking of which, thanks for the clothes, Tiffany." She peered down at the skirt, still holding her smile. "I'm not big on skirts, but I understand it's all you had on you, so I appreciate it."

"No problem," Tiffany removed her lollipop to speak, revealing a thick Jersey style accent. The girl looked her over, concerned about the bruising and streaks on Trina's face. "What happened to you, sweetie? Who hurt you?" Trina lifted her fingers to her cheek, delicately touching her bruise and wincing as it stung on contact. "It wasn't a boyfriend was it?" The question, though innocent, made the tears come back to her eyes. "Aw no, I didn't mean to make you cry, sweetie."

"It's not your fault." She wiped her eyes and looked to the doorway. She always knew about the laundry room in the school, it was in the confines of the teacher's lounge. Sinjin used to bring her into the teacher's lounge for lunch while he worked as an assistant for Sikowitz. "My boyfriend…Sinjin…he was killed because I wouldn't go out with someone." The girls moved their hands to their mouths and exchanged sorrowful glances. "The asshole that did it is a judge's son, so he's not even going to go to prison."

"That's not right! You must be feeling terrible!"

"You have friends here if you want to talk," Vivian replied, "Jesse's nice to all of us." She still wasn't sure how to classify a gang leader as 'nice', but he did seem to treat everyone here with respect, including her. "Those of us here in the building right now, you've got me, Tiffany, Yvonne, Gregory, Hank, John and Jesse. There's a lot more of us in other areas…"

"Yeah, I've been meaning to ask." She took a deep breath and studied the girls closely. "Are you part of a gang? Like street gang?"

"Yes…The um California Black Knights." Trina's jaw dropped. She recognized the gang! They were one of the tougher gangs out there, as well as one of the biggest gangs in LA! Their leader was unknown, no one could ever trace anything to him. "Is that a problem?" Did she need to be afraid? No, she had to be strong and appear confident, otherwise they'd see her as this weak girl that could easily be tossed away.

"No." She straightened herself and put up a smile. "It's an honor to meet you guys." The girls laughed and pat her shoulders. The gesture startled her, but at least it was just friendly patting.

"You don't have to lie," Tiffany remarked, "We're not going to do anything to you." She relaxed and glanced back to the doorway. Did this mean Jesse was the leader of the entire Black Knights? If so, she really had no clue what she'd just walked into. "Besides, you were in need of help, and we helped. No big deal."

Vivian smacked the washer and motioned to the dryer, "Time to transfer the clothes." Trina did not hesitate in moving the clothes over. What was it about these people that made her feel so comfortable? "So what about the gang life do you want to know? I can assure you it's not all what you see on television. Yes there are turf was with other gangs, so there is violence. Not every gang member actually does drugs, or smokes pot, or has wild and crazy sex-though Yvonne out there might say that's a perk." Vivian laughed at the joke while Trina merely stared back in shock. She didn't know what to say to this admission, though she was loving the honesty.

"Jesse wouldn't mind you being so…honest, would he?"

"Nah he'll be fine with it I'm sure. You can talk to him if you'd like."

"I'd rather wait till the laundry is done." She pulled at the skirt once more, causing the girls to laugh. After a second she released the skirt and listened to the rumbling of the dryer. "So…do you deal with drug trade? Like most gangs? Prostitution rings?" She swallowed hard as Tiffany cringed.

"Hell no to the prostitution rings, Jesse won't even touch that stuff. He doesn't do drugs, or anything like that, and he doesn't ask anyone to partake in them unless they want to. He does sell drugs, he buys things off the black market like guns, ammunition, and other things. He also sells stuff on the black market. There is no human trafficking, though." That was a relief to hear.

"So drug trade is the primary source of income, then?"

"That, and we operate a little bit like a mafia too, offering protection to certain businesses for income in return. Most of us have legitimate work as well. I mean, when you're a gang, you have to have a front that people don't expect. Like Jesse opened up a small sub sandwich restaurant that he operates."

"He's the head of the whole thing, I've heard that the leader has never been found out. That's…a big feat."

"It is when you consider the tactics. He's never gotten his hands dirty. A good boss leaves no traces back to him." She looked to the dryer and slowly licked her lower lip. Her heart throbbed and her body heated up. Was this where she found solace? In the arms of a gang? The first genuine act of kindness since Sinjin. Her voice cracked and the girls looked at her with worry. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I just…I hate fall. I miss Sinjin." She took a slow, deep breath and held it before letting it shake from her lips. She could feel his kiss lingering on her lips, she could still feel his arms and heard his sweet voice in her head. She pressed herself against the nearby wall and slid down, trying to hold her tears inside. The girls crouched beside her and slowly hugged her, consoling her and warming her heart.

"It'll be all right," Vivian's soft voice melted the icy exterior she was trying to put around herself. "He's in a better place now."

"I don't want him to be gone! I want…I want him back…" She allowed her tears to escape. "I hate Ross…He did this-He took Sinji away from me! I hate him!"

"Let it out, Trina. I know it hurts. It's never easy losing someone you love. Believe me." Trina looked to Vivian's unwavering gaze and smiled through her tears as the woman reassured her. "But it gets better in time, you know. It will heal." She wanted to believe those words, she wanted desperately to believe them. Her wounds would never heal, however. She could already feel the deep seated anger and hatred working their way up. She wanted revenge, and she was willing to go so far as to slaughter Samuel Ross if she had to.

"Maybe you're right, Vivian…"

After her clothes were dried and she was done crying, or at least, trying to be done, she made her way out to where Jesse was. He was back outside, sitting at one of the tables. It was still raining out, but the lightning was less frequent and the thunder wasn't rumbling as much.

Jesse was sitting with his back against the table's edge and his elbows propped up on the surface. The moon reflected off his somber expression. She took a seat on the opposite side and looked up to the rain, waiting until Jesse acknowledged her presence. "The girls treat you all right in there?"

"Yes." She moved her hands to her lap and closed her eyes. "Jesse? What made you decide to help me out? You really didn't have to." He looked over his shoulder and shrugged.

"It's kind of what I do. I see someone with a problem, and I help out."

"Don't take this the wrong way, but I would have figured you as a guy who does something when it suits his own needs." He chuckled and turned around, folding his hands on the table.

"If that's what you want to assume, sure. When it's a girl out in the heavy rain crying for damn near twenty minutes, there's a point when you have to decide whether to help or leave them out there to die. In my experience, most people don't _want_ to die. Those that do…even if I am heartless, I'd rather not be the one to have it weigh on me that I could have helped someone not take their own life."

"I guess that is admirable…" She looked to his eyes and was amazingly calm despite the thoughts now running through her mind. She should be terrified, knowing he was part of a gang. "Jesse. I um…I know about the Black Knights."

"Okay."

"You…Does that mean you might kill me because of it?"

He raised an eyebrow and leaned back slowly, still looking strongly into her eyes. "No. I guess I'd just have to trust you not to go revealing everything you know about the gang. I mean-"

"I don't really have anyone to turn to right now." He frowned at her and she bowed her head. "It's more than just this guy that killed Sinjin. It's all my sister's friends, my dad, my mom and the guy she's sleeping around with…there are a number of things and Sinjin-He was all I had. The only person I could go to and now he's…" She groaned in frustration as her tears began to build up again. Jesse's brow furrowed and he pulled his lips back into a deeper frown. "I don't know what to do. I'm scared, I'm unloading all this onto the leader of a street gang, for crying out loud!" Jesse laughed and waved his hand in the air.

"Don't worry about it. We're here if you need us, I suppose." It was very tempting to go ahead and join the gang just to have some sort of community. Her lower lip tucked under her teeth and her eyes drifted off to the rain.

"I-I don't know." She scratched at her neck, struggling to decide her next step. Everything inside of her was telling her not to do this, but there was still the part of her that wanted to stay. "I really like Vivian and Tiffany. They're nice…Maybe, maybe I could join?"

Jesse scoffed and turned away from her, "You don't want to do that. Living life with a street gang? Do you even know how difficult that would be?"

"Well I don't have anywhere _else!"_

"So you're wanting to join a street gang." He ran his fingertips along his brow and exhaled slowly. "I don't think it's a good idea, but if you're serious about it…"

"I can't just go back to that house, I have no were to run to and nobody to talk to."

"Well…I do have some guest rooms in my mansion, if you really needed a place to relax for a while. I'd be willing to let you stay there for a little bit if you have to." She sat up, practically leaping at the offer. She understood his saying she shouldn't join the gang, but at the very least, she wanted to be a part of this community. "If you're still interested in joining the gang…I don't know, you don't seem like the type who should get involved in it. And that's coming from _me."_

"If anything, I want to kill that asshole…" His eyebrows shot up as she clenched her fists. "That bastard deserves to rot in hell!" Jesse clicked his tongue and turned his gaze towards the falling rain.

"Amazingly that father of his let him get away with murder."

"That's what pisses me off even more!"

"Yeah. I can understand that. Just take a deep breath and I'll drive you to your house whenever you're ready to head home."

"But I don't-"

"Don't you want to at least grab your things? Besides, how's it going to look if you just vanish? You have to think things through first-you don't want people to start searching for you because you left without telling anyone anything." He had a good point, especially since her dad was the assistant police chief. Although, she wasn't sure anyone would even notice her being gone. "When you get home, you can tell your family you're staying with a friend for a while. If they're as negligent as you've said they are, they won't think twice."

"Yeah. Yeah, good point…and thank you, Jesse."

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This is where Trina finds community it would seem, much like Tori found community in her friends at Hollywood Arts. Next chapter, you will see, Tori is much different in this story in some ways than I usually portray her. (Course, Invader, you'll appreciate the relationship with her and Jade). Let me know your thoughts about this chapter.


	3. A Sister's Love

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N: In this story, Trina's difference in the sense that she's kind of the moral compass. You will see

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Chapter 3 (A Sister's Love)

Trina's arm hung out the small silver truck and her eyes lingered on the approaching house. The rain had finally stopped pouring and it was late at night, she was surprised to see a light in the front window. "I wonder who's still up…" Tori would normally be asleep at this hour, and she knew her parents didn't care.

"Maybe someone's concerned." Jesse parked the car alongside the curb. He faced her and looked off to the house. "You have my number. If you still need a place to stay to stay for a couple days, give me call. Again, I'm sorry about your boyfriend, I'm sure he was a good man. Take some time to collect yourself and don't let your sister's friends get the better of you."

"Thanks." She hopped out of the car and waited for him to drive off. She already let her sister's friends get the better of her, he didn't know just how bad they were. They were assholes, the whole lot of them. As she turned around, she felt of the makeup on her face. Vivian put some on to cover up the bruising. It would likely wash off in the shower, but she had some of her own to cover it up later.

Her heart pounded as she made her way to the door. A part of her was afraid she'd see those friends of Tori still here to make the rest of her night a living nightmare. Her hand caressed the doorknob for a second before opening. As she did, she saw Tori lounging on the couch, with her eyes studying the doorway. "Tori?" Tori snapped up, her eyes wide and her expression full of anxiety.

"Trina! You're home!" The girl leapt from the couch and ran over, throwing her arms around her and nearly tackling her to the ground. "When you didn't come back I was worried. Jade told me what happened, I'm sorry they were being assholes to you." Tori's words fell to deaf ears. After all, her apologizing for them wasn't their apology. She'd never receive an apology from them. "Where'd you go?"

"For a walk." She wasn't about to talk about Jesse or the Black Knights. "Talked to a friend." Tori leaned back, grabbing the bottom end of Trina's hair and studying it. The girl looked over her fresh clothes and raised an eyebrow.

"Jade said your clothes were dirty? Is everything okay, Trina?"

"Everything's fine." Trina pulled away and walked towards the couch. Tori followed her. "I didn't think you cared." Tori sat beside her and cuddled up close to her.

"You're my big sister, I'm always going to care about you." Her heart swelled up and she started to smile. "We might fight sometimes and get on each other's nerves, but you could never do anything to make me love you less. I want you to know that, and I want you to know, everything's going to be all right."

"Well whenever you stop making excuses for your friends, then it'll be fine." It was hard for her to see clearly anymore. The one person that kept her from hating those friends of Tori's was Sinjin. With him gone, there was nothing holding her back. Tori smacked her lips and dipped her eyes.

"Yeah…I know, they can be assholes sometimes. Most times. Jade's trying to change, she's trying to be better. The others-they're vain. I mean-"

"They think they're better than anyone else." A growl left her throat and she turned fully towards her sister, narrowing her eyes. "I just lost my boyfriend and the guy that did it is getting off scot free! They didn't even _care._ I went to talk to the guy, to confront him, and you know what happened?" Tori's eyes widened and her hands flew to her mouth. Trina could see the fear in her eyes. "I didn't want to fight him because I knew it wouldn't end well, but instead, he beat the shit out of me. _That's_ why I was all bruised up! Not because I 'fell in mud'."

"Oh my god! Trina!" Tori hugged her with her arms tightening like a vice-grip. Trina was caught off guard. "Why would you do that? What if he killed you? What do you think would have happened!"

"Would it have mattered?" Tori gasped and pulled her head away, looking hard into Trina's angry and upset eyes. "Your friends would have gone on living their life without a single thought. 'Oh Trina's dead, oh well'. Dad would be happy because I wouldn't be here, Mom would be too busy fucking Dad's partner-"

"It would matter to me!" Trina hesitated as Tori's expression changed to anger and hurt. "I don't care what my friends think of you. Jade's my best friend and even she's annoyed with the others. Their opinion about you doesn't matter to me. You're _my_ sister, not theirs, and I love you! As for Mom and Dad? I don't know what they're doing. Dad's always busy trying to become the next police chief one day, and Mom? Well who gives a shit? If she wants to whore around with dad's partner and screw up her life, _fine_. I don't care, because you're all that matters to me, Trina…"

She was struck with awe, but speechless at the same time. Tears welled up in her eyes as she watched a tear slide along her sister's face. She never knew Tori felt that way, but at the same time, she was concerned about how accurate those words were. "You let those friends of yours say whatever they want. You let them walk all over me, treat me like shit…why? Why do you let them influence you?"

Tori sat back against the couch and put her hands in her lap, sighing heavily. "Because when I went to Hollywood Arts, they were all I had there. I mean, hell, you know how life was like before then…" It hadn't been long after Danny cheated on Tori that Trina managed to convince her to get into the school, granted by faking some allergic reaction. She never really wanted to sing that damned song, and knew Tori could sing. The girl had been depressed since Danny's breakup, and also was dealing with their workaholic father not paying attention to her, and their mother just being absent from her life. "Hollywood Arts gave me friends, made me stop being depressed. I guess I became dependent on those people. I know they're not the best people to hang around, and I would be better off without them, and yeah they influenced me a little-but no matter how big of a head I get-I will always love my big sis. Got that?" Tori grabbed Trina's hand and smiled at her while patting her left hand over her heart. "Sisters are for life, Trina."

Trina was about ready to break down and cry. She didn't want to hear this, she didn't want to process it. It was all true, and Tori would be better off with her friends, but she still wanted to believe that Tori had become heartless and didn't give a shit. Would it matter if that were the case? She would always love her baby sister, no matter what. Next to Sinjin, Tori had always been the one person that she cared for, no matter how pompous or arrogant Tori would become.

"Trina, if you want me to, I'll leave them. Not Jade, though, she's my best friend. The others? I'll separate from them, I'll do it tomorrow. Jade told me what Andre and Beck said to you, she said she might have upset you with her own words, that she didn't mean anything by them. I'll tell them they need to treat you with a little more respect if it makes you happy."

"It doesn't matter, it won't change my opinion of them…" If anything, she could respect Jade despite the callous remarks the woman made over the years. The others? They could rot in hell for all she cared. "They all treat me like shit, so they are shit. I don't want their apology, their acceptance, or their time."

"You're right, they're not worth your thoughts." Tori took a deep breath and leaned in to hug her once again. "They're jerks. Besides, they're not good people."

"No?"

"No. I mean, Andre's kind of aggressive. He hit his grandma the other day to make her be quiet. Beck's involved in some gang called 'Scrapperz'." Trina raised an eyebrow and stared at Tori, curious about Beck now. How did Tori even know this? Also, she was going to have to ask Jesse what 'Scrapperz' was.

"He's in a gang? You know this how?"

"Jade told me. She says she doesn't like it. She says it's a violent gang that starts a lot of turf wars and stuff, I don't know about it but she says Beck and the people in that gang have a lot of sex. She hasn't done it with him or anything, so he respects that she doesn't want to, but he's definitely not on good terms because of his involvement in that gang."

"I imagine not!" What the hell was Tori doing hanging around him, then? "I think you and Jade ought to stay away from him!" Was that hypocritical of her to say? Jesse and his gang didn't seem like these Scrapperz people. They actually cared about her, they showed her kindness and respect.

Tori hummed and looked towards the television, "Maybe. I mean that's what Cat's doing." She raised an eyebrow. Tori rubbed her knees and exhaled. "Cat's been slowly separating herself from the group and is spending more time with her roommate. She's even weaning herself away from Robbie. As much as she likes him, that puppet obsession of his _is_ a bit much."

"She'd be better off, probably." Trina crossed her arms and looked over to the stairway. "Mom and Dad are asleep?"

"Oh yeah. Dad's got a big headache and was working a lot on paperwork. Mom's not here, she um…" Trina narrowed her eyes as Tori fidgeted with her belt buckle, absently sweeping a finger over the square buckle. "Truth? She went to stay with Gary for the night."

"Figures." She stood up from the couch and stretched her arms out, yawning loudly. "I'm going to be staying with a friend for a few days, actually."

"What?" Tori frowned and jumped up from the couch. Her eyebrows meshed together and concern swept over her. "Why?"

"Because I need to be out of the house for a while. I need some time to clear my head." Not to mention, all the people she hated most of all would probably still be over. Tori's friends, her mom, her dad obviously. She didn't want to be near them.

"Oh? Oh well…If-If you think that's best, then okay." Tori reached over and took Trina's wrists in her hands. Trina studied the sweet expression on her sister's face and smiled back, her heart melted and warmth started to rise up in her. "You know where to find me. I'll still be here."

"I know you are."

"I love you, Trina."

"You too, Tori…" Tori hugged her again and walked with her to the stairs. "You're going to get some sleep, right?"

"Yeah. Now that you're home…You're going to sleep too, right?"

"Of course. I'm exhausted."

"I'll miss you when you go off with your friend, but as long as you're okay. You need a break from everyone, you deserve it. It's probably for the best, too, because tomorrow's the big poker game with everyone…" Trina winced, making Tori chuckle. "You don't want to be around them, huh?"

"Not in the mood to be."

"All right. You're going to let dad know? Or should I?" As they made their way up the stairs, Tori hit the light switch for the living room. Trina laughed at her sister's question and shook her head.

"Tori. See how long it takes him, or mom for that matter-" She rolled her eyes, "-how long it takes them to figure out I'm not here. When they ask, then you can tell them I'm staying at a friend's for a few days."

"Dad's not going to like not knowing…"

"Dad's not going to care."

"Okay…" They stood in the hallway between the two bedroom doors. Trina's back faced her bedroom while Tori's faced hers. "Goodnight, Trina."

"Goodnight, Tori." She watched her sister vanish into her bedroom, then made her way into her own. Her eyes drifted towards her window and the corners of her lips sagged down. A tree branch swayed in the breeze outside. It had about seven leaves still attached. A strong wind hit the branch, disconnecting two of the yellow leaves. Trina shook her head and crawled into her bed.

Beside her was a photo of happier times, when Sinjin was still alive. They danced beneath an old cottonwood tree with fresh green leaves hovering above them. With tears in her eyes, she reached out and turned the framed picture face down on the coffee table. "I can't do this…I can't do this anymore…"

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So the next day will be a crucial one for Trina in whether or not she will be pushed to join the gang. What did you think of this chapter? The friends will be important to this, well at least one will be an important part of this tale and Trina's path.


	4. At the Crossroads

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

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Chapter 4 (Crossroads)

Trina awoke in tears the following morning, she'd been dreaming she'd been in her boyfriend's arms once more. When she realized it was only a dream, her heart broke. Her teeth clenched as she studied the tree outside her window, it was now bare. She wiped her eyes and glared down at the phone beside her. She picked it up and glanced at the time, it was eleven in the morning.

She looked through her contact list until she found Jesse's name. The temptation pulling her was powerful. As she scanned the contacts, she came across Vivian's number, past Tiffany's. She scrolled back to Jesse's, then set the phone gently on the table. Perhaps it would be okay to pass them up for the day.

Could she work towards a different solution? She didn't know. Trina rolled onto her left side and made eye contact with a particular wooden puppet. She let out a loud scream and jumped from her bed, her heart pounded and her chest heaved. As she heard the sound of laughter behind her door, she growled and yanked the puppet from the bed. Tori's friends were over already? She cursed under her breath, then shouted out for Robbie. "You're about to lose your damned puppet! I'm shoving him out the window in the next five seconds!" How could she have forgotten to lock her door?

"No!" Robbie burst through the door and ran for Rex, grabbing him from Trina. "It was just a prank! We thought you'd-"

"I'd what? You thought I'd laugh waking up to find myself sleeping next to a wooden puppet?" She flared up with rage and grabbed Robbie's shirt, then dragged the screaming boy to the window. With incredible force, she threw open the window and pushed his head out. "You see that, Robbie? If you were to fall you'd break your leg, or worse. Next time you come into my room while I'm sleeping, you _will_ be falling out!" She pulled him back and released his shirt, causing him to stumble and fall to the ground. "Where's Tori? Does she know about this!"

"N-No!" He scrambled to his feet, whining. "It was just a prank that Rex came up with." Trina rolled her eyes and brushed her hair over her shoulders. She grabbed his shirt collar and burned him with her glare.

"Rex is a goddamn _puppet!_ I'm sick of you making excuses for yourself through an inanimate nonliving _toy!"_ Robbie cringed as Trina forced him up against the wall. She clenched her fist as her heart began to race a mile a minute. "Just like that time 'Rex' cut my cord in that play, right?"

"Y-You knew about that?"

"Of course I knew! I saw you do it!" Robbie seemed to shrink beneath her. She was ready to pound him to a bloody pile of bones. "I'm sick of you men thinking you can just waltz on by and take advantage of me or walk all over me. This is my bedroom as well, you can't just come into my room while I'm sleeping!"

"I'm sorry!"

"Too late for that, Shapiro."

"Robbie!" Tori's voice startled her and she instantly released him, letting him fall to the ground. What was she doing? Her anger had gotten the better of her! Tori was standing in the doorway in her full purple nightgown. "What are you doing in my sister's room?"

"It was just a prank." He picked up Rex and made his way out the bedroom. Tori gave Trina an apologetic look and moved forward, hugging her.

"Good morning. I'm sorry about Robbie. Dad woke me up about an hour ago, saying my friends had come over. I wasn't expecting them over so early…"

"It's fine. So long as they leave me alone." She made her way out the bedroom with Tori and started for the stairs. Her sister went back to her own bedroom to change out of her nightgown. As Trina descended the steps, she paused halfway down to look out at Tori's friends. They were all sitting around the living room, except Cat, who was likely hanging out with her roommate.

"Hey Trina," Beck began to crack up. Beside him, Jade rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. Trina narrowed her glare on Beck. "How'd you sleep?" Her muscles tensed and her hand firmly grasped the railing. "I heard you woke up spooning a puppet."

The next words came from Rex, in the form of Robbie's ventriloquism. "She needed a little wooden lovin' after last night." Trina flinched and attempted to swallow her anger, but she opened her mouth to shout, only stopped by Jade.

"Robbie!" Jade snapped. Robbie waved his hand defensively, saying it wasn't him. "Jesus, take responsibility for your own damn depravity. You shouldn't even be creeping into a girl's room when they're sleeping, anyway. It's weird."

"Man he's always _been_ weird," Andre remarked, "Everyone knows that." Trina's thoughts drifted back to Jesse's number. More and more she wanted to call him up and tell him to pick her up, or at least his address so she could drive over. She didn't need to deal with these assholes today. "Good to see you're all cleaned up, Trina."

"Oh shut up," she growled. Andre flinched as she descended the steps and made her way to the kitchen. "Damn assholes." She opened the refrigerator and grabbed the carton of milk. She heard Beck ask if she'd grab him a soda, she started to yell at him, but thought better of it. A dangerous smirk formed on her face as she grabbed a root beer and began to shake it beneath the counter. "Okay Beck. I'll bring you a soda."

"Thanks!" When she handed him the can, the others stared at it in suspicion. Much to her pleasure, once he opened the can, it immediately fizzed out and drenched his pants. Beck screamed and practically tossed the can on the ground. "Shit! What the hell, Vega?!" The others looked ready to laugh, but Beck seemed closer to lashing out. She was up for the challenge if he wanted to attack her, she'd strike back, and he would be more than just a little bruised by the time she got done with him.

"Oh I'm sorry. I didn't know it was all shaken up."

"What is wrong with you?! Why are you such a bitch!" Trina froze and silence filled the air. Jade closed her eyes and the others held their breath. "It's like there's something wrong with your brain!" Rage flourished once more and her muscles began to tighten. "Stupid, self-centered-" Her eyes drifted to the stairs where she saw Tori standing at the top, glaring down at Beck. She turned back to him and narrowed her eyes.

"What's wrong with me, Beck? You really want to know?" Her voice softened and began to deepen as her vision began to turn a shade of red. Beck looked up at her, seemingly realizing what just came out of his mouth. "I'll tell you."

"W-wait a minute Trina, I didn't mean-"

"What's _wrong_ is Sinjin's dead, you fucking asshole! Sinjin's dead, I just got beat up by his killer who won't be getting his ass thrown in jail, and now I have to put up with you! Want to know what else is 'wrong'? The fact that Sinjin is no longer around to keep me from lashing out and kicking your ass, I have no reason to keep calm!" Trina started to lunge, but kept herself in check while studying his neck. His neck was so thin she could probably snap it like a twig if she had the chance.

"Beck!" Everyone twisted around to see Tori making her way down the stairs. "You don't talk to my sister like that. I put up with a lot of things, but I draw the line at my friends calling my sister a 'bitch'. You need to leave my house. Now."

"Forget it." Trina walked around the couch, stopping just behind Beck. Her eyes shot out at him from the corners and her lips twisted into an angry snarl. "He doesn't need to leave. I will." She desperately wanted to deck him, or at the very least, tear him to shreds.

"Trina…" Tori's whine was ignored. Trina walked past her sister and made her way up the stairs. "Trina please!"

"Leave me alone." She charged into her room, slamming the door behind her. "Damn asshole. Fucked up boy with puppet. They all…" She pressed her back against the door and began breathing heavily. She stared at her open window and stiffened when she saw some leaves on the floor, having been blown in by a strong gust of wind.

Trina made her way to the phone and sat down on the bed, wiping her eyes as tears began to stain her cheeks. When Jesse finally answered, her voice cracked in her greeting. "Are you all right?" He asked with concern in his tone.

"Do you have space available at your house right now, Jesse?"

"Yeah…I told you, I have plenty of guest rooms. You're still thinking of staying over a couple of days?"

"Yes. I can't be in this house right now! I'm going out of my mind! My sister has her fucked up friends over and all I want to do is punch them all in the face."

"Okay, okay, deep breath." She took his advice and let the silence fill the air. After a minute, he spoke up again. "So. What do you want to do? You want me to pick you up or are you wanting to drive over?"

"I have a few things to pack, if that's okay. I'll drive over. I know I'll probably need my car. What's your address?"

"Berkley Hills countryside. I live kind of off out of the way of the busy city."

"Sounds fine to me." She hated the noise of the inner city. All she wanted was silence. "I'll give you a call when I'm packed and on the road…"

"Okay. If you need help with directions, I'll be able to help out."

"Thank you, Jesse."

It took her nearly half an hour to pack her clothes and utensils. She put a photo album in with her items too, the album was filled with pictures of Sinjin, Tori, and family. She stashed her laptop into her suitcase and left the house when the friends weren't in the same room. Of course, she had time to say goodbye to Tori, who was hoping she'd come back soon.

In all honesty, she didn't know when she'd be back, if at all. She was done dealing with the nutcases in her life. It didn't take much to leave, no one put up a fight, and Tori did tell their dad. Unfortunately, the man was too busy with his urgent paperwork that he didn't think to ask any questions. This worked out for her, because the less questions asked, the better her luck.

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So there's a turning point in this chapter, or I should say a crossroads decision made. Tori's friends are pure brilliance, although there's more to Beck than meets the eye at this point.


	5. Gang Life is Not Easy

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N: Because the last chapter was short, and I split that and this chapter into two, I will give you both chapters today.

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Chapter 5 (Gang Life)

Jesse's house was another half hour drive across town. He lived in a three story mansion. Vivian and Tiffany had been called over be there with her and help her move her stuff into a guest room on the third floor. It had a remarkable view and a beautifully made bed with white frills on the edges of the pearl comforter.

When she was all settled in, she sat on the bed with the girls. Jesse was busy hooking up a television in the room for her and setting up a desk by the window. "This is a big place," Trina was in awe of the spacious home. Even the bedroom was huge, with a walk in closet, oak end tables on either side and a large headboard. "I feel like I'd be stupid if I asked how you can afford it."

"Not a stupid question," Jesse let out a grunt as he pushed himself up from the TV stand. The flat screen on top wasn't too big, but it was at least large enough that she could sit on the other end of the room and see it just fine. "You know I own a sandwich shop, so the furniture in the house as well as the house was bought with legit money…Actually, the house itself was an inheritance from my grandfather."

"Inheritance? How old are you?"

"Just recently turned Twenty-three."

"Amazing. I turn twenty one in April of next year. How much do you pay in bills?"

"Not too much. I try to keep things off so my bills don't rise up in price. Hence why I didn't have a TV set up in here."

Vivian looked to the photo album on the end table and opened it up. Trina glanced over with a smile as the woman gazed at the pictures. "Is this your boyfriend?" She pointed to the first picture with Sinjin holding his arm around Trina.

"That's Sinjin. Yes."

"He was handsome, huh?"

"Very. A good man. He had a lot of compassion and was always patient…" Vivian and Tiffany cooed over the pictures while Jesse watched with a subtle smile. "Hey, how old are you two? How'd you come to be a part of this group?"

"My brother was a part of the gang, so I just kind of followed his footsteps. I'm twenty, Tiffany's nineteen." Vivian turned the page in the album and set it gently in her lap. "Not all of us are broken, and most everyone is in this gang by choice.

"It was either this or prostitution," Tiffany admitted, "I chose this. I don't care how many turf wars there are or what's going on with drugs or even violence, none of it is as bad as prostitution would have been. In my opinion…I um dropped out of high school and was a runaway."

It truly was different than what she thought of a typical street gang, but at the same time, it _did _have more of a mafia feel than that of a street gang. "So when it comes to stuff like drugs, you don't touch it?" She looked to Jesse for the answer. He confirmed with a nod and leaned against the wall.

"It's optional really. We have some people in the bottom rung that might get involved in it, but I don't touch the stuff. I just sell it to the black market or other street gangs. Vivian and Tiffany don't like it either." The girls looked sour at the mention of drugs, much to Trina's relief. "It's just one of the things that we sell, either to gangs or just people on the street. We sell firearms, but the typical image of gang life you should probably just erase."

"What do you mean?"

"Every gang is going to be different. Some are like you see in the movies, but most often it's not as 'glamorized'. It isn't day to day action and, as we said, not every member does drugs or has sex on a regular basis." Jesse lowered his arms as the girls continued going through the photo album. "My gang has an even amount of men and women, for good reason. Some of the other gangs, like that fresh gang that started up a little while ago, the _Scrapperz_, are known to mistreat female gang members." Trina's jaw dropped as she recalled Tori talking about the gang that Beck was involved in. "Anyway gang initiations are usually what's shown in the Hollywood. Common initiatives consist of a 'jumping in' where either beatings are given to new recruits-we do not do that-sometimes it means the new recruit has to participate in a mission such as stealing a car or getting into a fight with a rival gang. Sometimes gangs, though mine doesn't do this, will not consider someone a full member until they've killed someone…"

"Wow." She looked to the girls, wondering if they had ever killed anyone. She didn't see tattoos or anything on any of the three, so that was another question she had. "What about tattoos?"

"Eh, we have gang tattoos but it's not required that anyone get one. I don't have one." He looked towards the window, then walked over to the bed. "When I said to erase the image of gang life that you see on the movie, I mean this: Initiations don't happen often. There's not a firefight every day or anything like that. Life from day to day isn't that exciting. Most often members just sleep ate, sit out around the neighborhood, drink, _some_ do drugs, others may go to a meeting place…like pool halls, roller rinks, etcetera. Gang missions don't usually involve petty crimes or vandalism, though sometimes they do, typically the crimes a gang member commits are _their own doing_. However, gang life does thrive on respect, and sometimes crimes are a way to gain respect or notice. That's why I said to you, you probably shouldn't join a gang…you don't look like the type to commit crimes."

She scoffed while Vivian and Tiffany glanced at her with concern filled eyes. "Crimes like what? Assassination? Assault?"

"Eh, those are pretty rare. That's something that's over glamorized in Hollywood. Gang members _do_ assault or shoot and assassinate people, sometimes for money, turf, pride, or…revenge…" Trina perked up at that, much to Jesse's chagrin. "The thing is, once you get that blood on your hands, you live with it."

"So! Tell me about turf." He raised an eyebrow and folded his arms over his chest. Before he could speak, Tiffany answered for him.

"Turf is just what part of the city you own. Gangs mark their turf with their colors and sometimes graffiti. Our colors are black and silver. When you own a particular turf, you own the businesses in a way that the businesses pay us a particular salary. Sometimes the turf might be a view by the ocean, if it's a real nice and beautiful place and other gangs want it, they could initiate a turf war. Right now, we own about sixty percent of Las Angeles is in our turf. There are about four gangs here in total. El Sangre, which our gang is allied with, fortunately. The Cravens which are our strongest rival, and a new gang that Jesse mentioned, the _Scrapperz_. El Sangre are allied with us and we share some of the turf with them. They own a bit more than we do too. So really it's more we own sixty percent with them and they own ten percent more than we do. The Cravens own about twenty percent and the Scrapperz have about ten percent. They're trying to get bigger, and they've started a lot of gang wars with us and the others."

"We've been working an alliance with the Cravens, or at least trying to," Tiffany remarked, "Apparently the three gangs are going to try and run the_ Scrapperz_ out. That…would mean a gang war and taking their turfs."

"Grand Theft Auto got it right," Jesse said. "At least with San Andreas they did. I can't stand the GTA games, actually. They frustrate me…" He lifted his eyes and exhaled slowly. "I die too many times." The girls laughed and Trina chuckled. "I swear it's rigged, I swear it! And Grove Street can burn in hell!"

"Come on Jesse, Vivian and I beat that game twice already!" Jesse groaned as Tiffany leaned into Trina, whispering through a smirk, "Jesse quit the game halfway through his first run."

"It was too frustrating."

"Pretty funny," Trina teased, "A gang leader can't finish Grand Theft Auto?" He slouched and bowed his head while the girls continued to laugh. She leaned forward, still thinking about the Scrapperz. "Tori-my sister-told me one of her asshole friends is in the Scrapperz gang. She said he sleeps around a lot in there…" Jesse sneered as the girls cringed in disgust.

"Sex is just about all they care about over there. Sex and drugs. Female recruits are made to have sex with the gang members-that's why there aren't many women going in there. Because the women that are in that gang are telling other people. It's one of the reasons the rest of the gangs around here are trying to wipe them out."

"You said there's only four total in LA?"

"Well, no, it's just the ones I mentioned are the strongest here. I mentioned the Scrapperz gang only because they're the newest and trying to make an impact. There are plenty of other gangs around this area. Gang wars are _not_ that frequent, however. We just live from day to day…"

"So…why can't I join?" Trina stood up to eye level with Jesse and raised an eyebrow at him. He pressed his lips together and flattened his gaze. "I have nowhere left to turn to and you guys treated me with kindness and respect. I want in."

"I didn't say you couldn't join, I just don't think you should. You don't look like someone who should be getting involved in the life."

"Let me show you…Because right now, I really don't care. I'll do anything. Well. Almost anything…What's your initiation for new members?" Jesse frowned as she looked to the girls for a minute. "Well? What is it guys?"

"You just have to participate in some mission," Vivian answered, "Maybe make a delivery or something. Not to mention…you might want to get an actual paying job."

"You could work at my sub shop," Jesse suggested, "I do need to hire someone and train them there." He paused and met her determined gaze. "As for joining the gang. How…How serious are you?"

"I need to feel some sort of community, Jesse. Please understand. I can't find that back at my house. I just can't." He moved his hands to his pockets and took a deep breath.

"All right then…I'll think about it. Maybe put you on a delivery or something. You don't have to do much. I guess we can take you to one of our hangouts. We've got a mess of them. Pool, darts, casinos, gyms, and the list goes on. You can meet some other people that are in."

"I've got something in mind…" She narrowed her eyes as the desire for revenge stirred from deep within. Jesse and the girls looked confused for a minute, but when their expressions changed to realization, she was sure they got the idea. "I guess it'll take some spying and maybe-teach me how to do the job right. A frame job, I'm guessing?"

Of course she was scared, but she was intrigued at the same time. There was absolutely nothing she could see herself doing now, it was too late, and the life was far too tempting. "Would Sinjin want you to be joining a gang?" Vivian inquired. No, he wouldn't, but he was the whole reason she was doing this. They had to understand, she was a broken woman.

"Probably not, but there is only one thing I want more than joining your group. I mean, I know how to fire a gun. I know martial arts. I'm a fighter…you guys _need_ me." She smiled in hopes that Jesse would be convinced. She wasn't going to give up until he let her in, anyway.

"All right, fine. I don't really want to argue right now as it is…"

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There's a little more (And yes I had to research) There's a definite difference between a turf war and a gang war, and it's not exactly like the GTA series. Wars don't happen that often. Looks like Trina's convinced them to consider letting her join.


	6. SALVAGED THe Hangout

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N: ANNOUNCEMENT! Please read first: BY SOME MIRACLE I have salvaged both Autumn Leaves and Estrangement! (Which is why I'm posting now in the middle of the damn night because I won't be able to wake up tomorrow morning). My flash drive broke and I hadn't backed it up on the computer for a couple months and lost everything. But THANKFULLY my meticulous habit of using the save-as function and never closing the word document has helped me...I was able to hit Ctrl-Z and get back all the chapters I had written (so far written 16 on AL, and 30 on Estrangement). In the case of Estrangement, one chapter has been permanently lost, but it was an unimportant filler with mild important info that can be written in later if needed. Thank god everything's salvaged (that includes Seeking Origins as well).

Without further ado, praise the lord almighty, READ ON! Read on...I'm going to go laugh hysterically now and save everything onto a new flash drive.

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Chapter 6 (The Hangout)

One of the hangouts they went to was a karaoke bar, the same location that Tori, Jade, and Cat had gone to when she Trina had her wisdom teeth taken out. She entered with Jesse and Vivian, Tiffany went to her house. A familiar voice was singing from the stage. _"You think you know me, but you don't know me. You think you own me, but you can't control me…"_ She turned her eyes to the stage, chuckling when she saw Jade. _"I'm dangerous, I'm warning you! You're not afraid of me, and I can't convince you, you don't know me."_

Never before did Trina feel like one of the songs that her sister's friends decided to sing had ever fit her. Her lips twisted into a darkening smirk as she followed Jesse and Vivian to the bar. She kept her head down on the off chance that Jade saw her. "You know her?" Vivian pointed her thumb over her shoulder. Trina sat down at the bar and looked towards Jade. _You push me back, I'll push you back. Harder! Harder! You scream at me, I'll scream at you. Louder! Louder!_

"Yes." _You think you got me, but you don't get me. You think you want me, but you don't know what you're getting into. There's so much more to me than what you think you see, so listen to me! _Trina narrowed her eyes as the bartender grabbed Jesse a bottle of his apparent usual Killian's Irish Red beer. She ordered sprite while Vivian ordered a Pepsi. "That is Tori's best friend, Jade." Jesse swiveled around and propped elbows on the edge of the bar while taking a sip of the beer.

"Jade West, right? She's a usual singer here. My gang hangs out here often enough, but she's not affiliated with the Knights." Trina couldn't imagine how that would go over if she were, with her boyfriend being a part of the Scrapperz gang. She listened as the song continued. "I think she works here as an entertainer, seems to me she's wanting to go to college for something else. That's as far as I know from what one of my members told me after they talked to her."

"She talks to the patrons here?"

"Sometimes after a show she hangs around, apparently." Trina soured her face and shook her head. This wasn't good, she didn't want Jade to see her, and if she stayed around long enough the girl most likely would. "Real friendly, but I've never personally spoken with her. Don't care to." He took another sip and leaned back further against the bar.

"She's not that friendly. At least not when it comes to me, my sister, or anyone in that infernal school." The song that Jade was singing spoke to her in more ways than one. She picked up the glass of sprite and tilted it, watching the bubbles rise to the surface. For some reason, the song reminded her of Tori. For her, she could see herself requesting this song for her little sister. "Never thought something I'd hear out of Jade's mouth would speak to me…"

"What? This song?"

"Yeah. Are you into pop? I'm not really, this is more popish than rock, but still…"

"Eh, I prefer rock and sometimes country."

Vivian leaned against her arm and smiled calmly, "I'm a classics girl myself. Music from the 50s and 60s are the greatest. Like Crazy from Patsy Cline or Frank Sinatra." Trina stiffened and the two looked at her, concerned. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No…" It wasn't anything Vivian did or had control of. Frank Sinatra was Sinjin's favorite singer, and he would often play music from him while driving around in the car with her. "Sinjin, he…he never liked to sing, but when he did, he'd sing Sinatra for me." She bowed her head while Jesse glanced away. Vivian reached over, rubbing her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to bring up any bad memories…"

"It's not your fault." To her right, she saw five guys and a girl walking up. They met Jesse with a high five and loud obnoxious hellos. She could tolerate it if it weren't for Jade being within earshot of the group. They turned to her and immediately began asking about her and what her name was. She set the sprite down and stretched her arms out, crackling her knuckles. "I'm Trina. You can call me Katrina if you like…." The life she knew before this was gone as far as she was concerned. Now a member of the gang, she was no longer just 'Trina'. "I'm new to the group…"

"Well it's good to meet you," The main man of the group replied. "I was going to say, you didn't seem the type of woman to be at a bar."

"There's a lot about me people don't know. But then, if you don't give me a chance, you'll never know me." Her muscles tensed as Jade began singing a song from Evanescence. _'Missing'_. She closed her eyes and tilted her head. She had a tendency to hate Evanescence, but since Sinjin's death, she found herself listening more and more to the woman's music. With that, she noticed more and more how her songs fit her life and her family. "What is your name?"

"Roger. Jesse recruit you?"

"Sort of. I had nowhere else to go. Trying to get him to teach me a few things." She saw Jesse roll his eyes. He was still unsure about how involved he wanted to get her to be. Vivian said it was a matter of her losing herself and she seemed like a nice girl, but they didn't realize that this was something that had been going on for years now. This was just the head of it all "I'm wondering, how is it the Knights don't have many murders or robberies linked to them?"

"We train in stealth. Everything we do we operate in the shadows so people don't know our handiwork. You remember that lawyer from a year back that drove his car off a bridge?" She scrunched her face, mildly recalling a news story about some big time attorney that killed himself a year ago. "It wasn't suicide."

Jesse sighed heavily and turned around, setting his beer on the bar. "That's correct. The signature of the Black Knights, if you have to take a kill, leave no traces behind and if you can stage it as a suicide or a frame job…do it…Fortunately we don't _have _to assassinate someone that often. When we do, it's usually someone in a rival gang-like the Scrapperz-and the police don't look into gang related deaths in this city. Very rarely do we ever kill someone outside of the gang…"

"I got caught shoplifting," Vivian muttered, "The lawyer said he could get me off scot free if I slept with him. I refused and served a couple months in jail. My ex boyfriend is the one that performed the kill…" Trina's eyebrows shot up and she nodded, understanding the situation. "Of course the attorney was someone's uncle in the Scrapperz gang..." Vivian stopped there and Trina pursed her lips as she studied the sadness in the woman's eyes. Nothing needed to be said, she recognized the familiar sorrow and recalled Vivian's words about losing someone close to you.

"I'm sorry, Vivian…Did you-did you guys ever find out who did it?"

"Yes," Jesse shifted in his seat and crossed his arms. "Unlike the Knights, the Scrapperz are sloppy. The kill was an initiation for one of the new members, his nephew. You've mentioned his name-that Beck guy?" Trina's eyes widened and Jesse grabbed his drink. "He's an asshole over there at the Scrapperz, we all know him because he's usually the one starting those damned gang wars with us." She couldn't believe Beck killed Vivian's boyfriend! All she could see now, however, was Beck in Ross's place, gunning down someone that somebody loved. She clenched her fists, then leaned over to hug Vivian. Vivian smiled at her while Tiffany reached over to rub the woman's back.

"I can't believe Beck would-well actually no, I can believe he'd do something that messed up."

"He's the third in charge of the Scrapperz."

"What?" She was started by the admission. How could Beck be at such a high rank in that gang? "I don't understand…he-how?!"

"He's the most active member, trying to piss on all the other gangs around here. Not to mention, the second in command of the Scrapperz has been replaced so many times-it's a pretty bad spot for any member of that gang to be." So Beck had been promoted because the second chain of command kept being killed off? Did that mean he was next? Yes, yes it did. She couldn't help but to chuckle.

"I do have another question." She sipped her sprite and looked over to Jesse. "When you frame someone…how does that work? I mean obviously you have to find opportunity."

"Exactly. We watch for a while, check everyone and see who is likeliest to possibly want to kill someone. Then we frame them. Usually we don't frame someone unless the situation calls for it."

"I see." Out of the corner of her eyes, she thought she caught Jade glance over. Fearful of being seen, she immediately called for Roger and the other guys. "Hey! Cover me! I can't let them see me!" Roger raised an eyebrow and the gang proceeded to surround her, hiding her from view.

"What's the problem?"

"It's Jade, she knows me." The door of the karaoke bar flew open, startling Trina. She snapped her gaze over and froze when she saw Beck walking in with a group of Scrapperz. Their gang colors were yellow and brown, and they wore them well with yellow shirts and brown pants. "Oh god, Beck's here!"

Jesse looked up as his gang watched the Scrapperz closely. Trina shrank from sight and listened as Beck confronted his girlfriend on stage. "Jade! I thought I told you to stop singing here…don't you know those damn Knights hang out here!"

"I know just fine, Beck." Jade smirked at him and wagged her eyebrows, "Why do you think I still sing here?"

"Well we're leaving, now."

"I'm not going anywhere. My shift isn't over yet." Trina felt a sudden urge to lash out, but she held her own and watched through the cracks between the gang members. Beck stormed forward and firmly grabbed Jade by the arm, pulling her towards him. "Stop!"

"I said we're _leaving_. No girlfriend of mine is going to be seen at this hangout." Jade pulled her arm away, scowling. Jesse's gang started to move forward, to attack the Scrapperz, but if they went after her, then both Jade and Beck would see Trina. Jesse cleared his throat and raised his hand, signaling Roger and his men to hold off. The Scrapperz with Beck snarled, and Jesse's gang snarled back.

Beck started to grab for Jade once more, but she pushed him away, causing him to stumble back and fall. "I said no, Beck. I put up with you sleeping around with your gang members, I put up with you trying to order me around, but I will not put up with you trying to tell me what to do! I am not moving."

He was shocked by her outburst. He turned his gaze towards the Knights, and narrowed his eyes. They were reaching for the guns hidden under their shirts or in their pants, all ready to start a gang fight if he made a move. Jesse tilted his head to the right and smirked. "Is it really worth it, Beck?" Jesse rose from the stool and Trina watched him nervously. The man stepped forward, shrugging his arms out sideways. "You don't want a fight right now. You know you don't. However, I suspect if you make any sort of move towards my men or your girlfriend there, my men will gun you down like a dog." Beck scowled and looked back to Jade, who had clearly put her foot down. "You know, couples _really_ should leave their arguments for home, not someone's personal work. It makes you look bad if you bring that baggage to your significant other's work."

"Damn it…We'll talk about this later, Jade." He turned around and ordered his men to leave. Once gone, Jesse returned to the bar and leaned over it, narrowing his eyes at the bottles on the wall. Jade hesitantly returned to the microphone. Trina looked to Jesse with admiration, pleased with how he handled Beck without starting an all out brawl.

"You must have a lot of experience, Jesse…To be able to talk someone out of starting a fight..."

"Well, being a leader, that sort of thing comes with territory." This was true. She started to smile and looked back to her sprite. She hoped that maybe, if Jade saw her, she forgot. She felt terrible for Jade, but glad the girl stood up for herself. Jesse glanced over at her and pressed his lips together. "Besides, I thought it would be best to avoid letting you get caught up in a random fight. You didn't seem to want Jade to see you, or Beck for that matter, and if a fight broke out…they would have spotted you."

"Oh. Well, thanks then."

"Yeah." He took another sip of his beer while Vivian and Tiffany turned around to listen to Jade sing. Roger and the gang went to a nearby pool table after one of the members gave Trina a hooded sweater. She put it on and pulled the hood over her head, finally comfortable in knowing Jade wouldn't recognize her.

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Never been so happy to see a chapter. *shudder* My god that was almost a nightmare. Anyway tell me what you thought of this chapter!


	7. Stopping by Home

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

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Chapter 7 (Stopping by Home)

A couple nights later, Trina returned to visit her family. She still hadn't done anything in regards to gang activity. Jesse and the others had been correct when they said there wasn't much excitement as far as gang life went, but she found herself oddly craving something to happen. She wanted to go on a mission, she wanted to partake in a gang war, and she had no idea why these urges were coming to her. Sinjin probably wouldn't approve, and he'd tell her to stay away from that life, but she had no life now.

When she arrived at the house, she saw her mother leaving. Irritation began to bubble inside of her as Holly dug through her purse while walking. The woman stopped when she saw her and pretended to act surprised. "Trina! You're home! We missed you." She saw through her mother's ruse and tried to wipe away the growing sneer on her face.

"Yeah just for a little bit, mom. I'm actually looking for a place to live…you know, thinking about moving out."

"Oh?" Disappointment spread over Holly, and for a split second, Trina was almost pulled towards her. Then the disappointment left and nonchalance arrived. "Well that sounds nice, dear. I hope you find someplace that makes you happy." Holly pulled out a set of keys and gasped, "There they are!" Holly brushed past her, speeding towards the car. Trina stepped up onto the front porch and glanced back to her mother.

"So where are you headed, Mom?" Her mom jerked up and turned around, laughing nervously.

"Oh nowhere, just doing a little grocery shopping." Trina glanced up to the moonlit sky, then back to her mother.

"At this hour?" Holly rushed into her car and rolled down the window to smile and wave at her daughter. The car started up and Holly began to back out of the driveway. "Of course, you _could_ stay and welcome your daughter home, not that you'd want to." She rolled her eyes and opened the door, eager to see Tori.

Inside, Tori was busy reading through a textbook. Trina was happy to see her studying, but a little shocked. Though, Tori _was_ starting college. "Hey baby sister, what are you studying?" Tori gasped out and hugged Trina as she sat down beside her. "How's the rising starlet?"

"Actually…" Tori looked down at the textbook and rubbed the back of her neck. "I decided not to pursue a career as a singer or actress. I don't think there's much in the line for work there and I'd rather a job that I'll be able to get hired at. So I um decided to leave singing as a hobby."

"Oh? What are you looking to major in, then?"

"Criminal Justice. Jade said she was studying that field too, and I thought I'd be cool if we studied the same field. I want to go into homicide one day like Dad did, and Jade's studying criminology and might go into law one day." Trina clapped her hands and hugged Tori. It was amazing that Tori wanted to follow that career path, especially since Trina had been studying that field herself.

"I'm proud of you!"

"Thanks!" She turned to the book and scratched her head. "I'm having a little difficulty understanding some stuff here. I mean yeah I just started, but the professor is already piling on the work. She has us reading about this case and trying to figure out what crime it is whether it's murder in the first, second, manslaughter, or self defense." Trina followed Tori's finger across the words in the textbook, leaning into her as the girl studied. "Look. The man broke into his boss's house after being fired, aimed the gun at his boss. The man's boss pulled out a gun, but the original guy withdrew. He decided not to do it and started walking away, but the boss shot him and claimed self defense."

Trina rubbed her chin "Ooh, that is tricky. Something to remember, though." She leaned back and closed her eyes, recalling what her own professors had said. "It is self defense if you kill the attacker when they're going after you, but if the attacker puts down their weapon and walks away, if they say they will not attack and give up, and you kill them afterwards, it is no longer self defense. It is murder."

"Oh…I see how that makes sense. So then, the boss committed murder? Maybe in the heat of passion too." It was a possibility, but the man had not been wronged in any way. Granted there was no 'cool down' period between the time the employee broke in and the time the boss shot him. "Anyway, since you're here, I think I'm going to take a little break. Rest a little."

"All right. Still, I'm proud of you baby sis, you're carrying on the tradition." Tori laughed and nodded her head as Trina put her arm around her shoulders. "I hope you'll be successful."

"I hope so too. I might even go into CSI work, Trina! I know they're nothing like the shows portray, but crime scene investigations interest me. So does forensics. Science is a strong suit for me, but I still think I want to be a detective."

"Well. Whatever you go into, I know you're going to do your best and be the best you can be." Tori grinned widely and puffed out her chest with pride.

"Yep! Nothing will stop Officer Tori Vega when she gets on the scene." Trina wanted to see Tori become a success in life, and maybe one day she would get to see her become a huge success. "I hope you're there when I make it. Think you'll be there?" Where was this moment of doubt coming from? She smiled sweetly at her little sister and pulled her into a one armed hug.

"Of course. The moment you get your first real bite of success, you know I'll be right there. I don't know why you'd think I wouldn't be!" Tori laughed and hugged her tight.

"I don't know." Tori didn't release her, but merely frowned and continued to hold her. After a second, she sniffed and buried her head into Trina's shoulder. Trina was caught off guard by the act, but decided to hold her sister closer to make sure she was comforted. "I think I'm scared, but I don't know what I'm scared of. I…I'm not sure. Please never leave me?"

She ran her fingers tenderly through Tori's hair, smiling down at the girl. "I could never stop talking to you, Tori. I love you too much. And hey, you're a Vega, we don't fear anything, okay? You're strong. No matter what life throws at you, I know you'll rise on top. Got that?"

"Yeah…" Tori leaned back and wiped her eyes. "Sorry. I think after everything with Sinjin, I just…I miss him too, Trina. He was my friend. Now you're talking about moving out and I-I don't know what I'd do if I ever lost you."

"You wouldn't lose me, but if you did, you'd be strong and hold your head high like I know you would." Tori looked up to her eyes and Trina lightly tapped her chin with her knuckles. "You're Victoria Vega, sister of Trina and the daughter of the assistant chief of police-you can do anything. You're invincible."

"Yeah!" Tori laughed away her tears and doubts. "You're right. I am strong."

The door flew open and the girls jumped to see Jade strolling in. "Hey Vega," Jade nodded towards the girls without implying whom she was speaking to. She gave them a smile and made her way to the couch. "Tori, you're studying already?"

Tori closed the book "Yeah, but I'm taking a break now that my sister's back." Trina was curious if Jade saw her at that karaoke bar or not, and if so, she needed to think of something to say.

"Tori's been missing you, Trina. Where have you been?"

"Around." This was her simple answer. There was nothing else she could think to say that might not arouse suspicion. She didn't have the heart to tell her sister about her involvement with the gang, and she certainly wasn't about to tell the girlfriend of the Scrapperz third-in-command that she was part of the Knights. "I've been with my friend."

"What friend? Why haven't we met your friend?"

"Because you've never taken an interest in my life?" Jade opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, Beck came walking in with Robbie and Andre. Trina narrowed her eyes and growled at the trio. "Great. What are they doing here?" Jade frowned and slowly shook her head.

"Beck wanted to visit and asked Andre and Robbie to join." Andre and Robbie she could tolerate, no matter how much she hated them, but Beck was damn near impossible to stomach. She wanted to tear into him and felt a powerful urge driving her to attack The minute he made eye contact, her nostrils flared and her lip twisted into a snarl for a split second before she managed to fake a smile.

"Oh wonderful." She pat her thighs and started to stand. She was eager to leave, but when Tori put her hand on her shoulder, she sat down. Maybe it was best to be cordial, if at all possible.

"Oh hey Trina," Beck looked smug, tempting Trina to wipe away the disgusting grin on his face. "You're a sight to see, where have you been lately?" Andre tapped Beck with the back of his hand, laughing as he thought up some joke.

"With that imaginary friend of hers, Beck!" Trina raised an eyebrow as the men shared a high five. She crossed her arms and curled her lip into a deathly smirk.

"Well Andre, at least I don't have to strike my imaginary friends like you strike your grandmother." He froze, his mouth hanging open. She watched the anger rise in his eyes while his body began to tense.

"Y-You take that back!"

"Why should I?" She stood up and dusted off her pants, ignoring the frightened looks she was receiving from Tori. "We all know how aggressive and abusive you are, and your grandmother can't possibly fight back because of how old and paranoid she is. Why don't you go for someone…that can fight back for a change? Or are you too much of a coward?"

"Trina what are you doing?" Tori whispered. Andre started to growl as his eyes began to darken. His nostrils flared up and he looked ready to charge.

"Come on Andre, I know you want to hit me. You've probably wanted to for a couple years now, right?" Trina lifted her hand up and curled her fingers into her palm in a come-hither motion. Jade's song was playing in her mind as she stared down this man. She was going to put the fear of god in these three men if it was the last thing she did. "Not surprised you can't keep a girl, you have no self control whatsoever."

She turned her back and smirked dangerously as Andre let out a violent yell and rushed towards her. She heard Tori cry out while Jade started ordering Andre to stop. Just as he threw his punch at her back, she swayed towards the right and twisted around. Her eyes met his as she reached out and grabbed his right elbow with her hand, then placed her free hand to his wrist. His eyes widened as she pushed down, twisting his arm, then stepped behind him.

In one swift motion, she shoved him down to the floor and pinned her knee into his lower back. "Not so funny now when it's you, is it?" He began smacking the floor, crying out in anguish. Trina turned her glare over her shoulder, studying Beck and Robbie. Beck stood tall, broadening his shoulders and staring with a nonchalant expression while Robbie was full of fear. "And you two? If you, and this asshole on the ground do not start treating me with respect, you'll be in the hospital! Got that?"

She released Andre and pushed herself up, growling as the man scrambled to his feet and ran over to Beck and Robbie. "We got it!" Andre swept his finger through his eyes and grabbed his arm, trembling. She didn't put that much force on it, so she knew it wasn't broken, but it would be tender for a day or two. "Why do you have to be so mean?" She cocked her head to the right and scoffed.

"Enough!" Tori rose up and looked from her sister to the three men. "No fighting!" She pointed to the boys first. "She's right though-I'm sick of seeing you treat my sister the way you have been!"

"Did you not just see what she did?" Robbie shuddered. Tori put her hands to her hips while Jade rolled her eyes.

"Yes. I did! She's going through a hard time, asshole!" Trina snapped her gaze to Tori, shocked to hear a curse of any sort come from her mouth. "She just lost her boyfriend and you three keep digging into her like there's no tomorrow!"

"She can move on," Andre whimpered.

"Sinjin is _dead_, Andre!" Beck moved his hand to his forehead while Robbie looked down to Rex.

"I didn't mean it like that!" Andre scratched his hair and groaned softly. "I meant…I don't know…" Trina was past this now. As Beck removed his hand, she glared at him full of hatred and fire. This man manhandled his girlfriend, slept around, and was involved in sinister crimes. If any of these three she wanted to smack around, it was him. It was unfortunate she couldn't call him out on what he did to Jade without them realizing she was at that bar, but she would find a way to make sure he knew just how fast karma travels.

"Hey Andre?" Trina moved her eyes towards the man and curled her lip into a vicious smirk. "I'll be watching you. Just so you know." Her eyes flew back to Beck and her head tilted gently to the right. "You too, Beck." He raised an eyebrow as she started walking for the door, she was done here. She brushed past Beck, purposely pushing him to the side. He turned sideways and stared her down, but made no movements.

"Trina!" Tori cried out and moved her hand to her head, whining. "Please stay. It feels like you only just got here!" She stopped and looked over her shoulder, smiling sweetly at her little sister. She felt bad for leaving, but it was better this way. She couldn't stand here with these men in the room and be calm at the same time.

"I'm sorry Tori. Look, I'll visit you when they're not around, all right?" Tori groaned and fell back into the couch. She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at the blank television screen. Her foot tapped angrily on the floor and her body tensed. "Hey. Sis." Tori looked at her from the corner of her eyes, still pouting.

"What?"

Trina smiled warmly at her and waved, "I love you!" Tori began to loosen up and turned fully towards her. "I'll call you and come visit this weekend. Maybe we'll grab dinner."

"Okay…Love you too, Trina." When she stepped out of the house, she saw Vivian across the street. She knew Vivian was waiting for her, since they were planning on doing some shopping together. Her eyes drifted towards the right, locking on a dark house in the far distance.

"Ross," she breathed out, having not forgotten the one person she wanted dead more than anyone. Including Beck himself. As she walked on, Vivian met her at the sidewalk. The woman looked concerned, clearly having witnessed the act that occurred. "You were looking through the window?"

"Saw you knock that big guy to the floor, yes. Is everything okay? I thought you were going to stay with Tori longer…"

"I was, until those three showed up." She swept her hair over her shoulder and began walking, glaring at the house in the distance. Vivian followed after her and started to recite a joke she heard from Tiffany earlier that day. It made her smile, and that was enough for her to get by for the night. "You don't think we'll be waking Jesse up when we get back to the mansion after shopping, do you?"

"No, I don't think so. He usually doesn't go to sleep until late, anyway." Vivian looked over her shoulder and hummed. "So did Jade see you at the bar?"

"I don't think so, she didn't mention anything. Beck obviously didn't see me either. I can't picture him knowing I'm remotely involved with the Knights would go down well at all."

"Probably not, no…Does it matter though?"

"Not really. I could deal with him. He's an ass, just like that bastard, Ross. Did you do any watching on him?"

"A little." Vivian crossed her arms and looked to the house. "They were getting into a big fight, just like the last couple of days. His father's apparently been getting drunk and is having memory lapses, and he continually cusses out his son for treating women like shit."

"Really?" She rubbed her hands together and began to chuckle. This was _great _news! "And who all knows they've been fighting?" Vivian frowned and lowered her arms.

"Probably everyone, they've been fighting all over the place."

"That can't be good, now can it?"

"No, I'd say not. Wouldn't surprise me if they started to get physical…"

"Me either, Vivian. Me either."

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So Tori and Jade could be going into law enforcement one day, maybe even the FBI (You can join as early as 23 and with a bachelor's). Looks also like Trina and the others have been staking out Ross for a couple days too, it would seem his days are more than numbered. He's going down soon. What are your thoughts on everything in this chapter?

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	8. On the Job

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

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Chapter 8 (On the Job)

Tori moaned as sunlight struck her closed eyelids. She'd gotten in late last night, which probably wasn't best considering what today was. She opened her eyes just in time to see Jesse open her bedroom door, "Wake up, time to get down to work. I'm going to have to leave you here if you don't hurry." It was the first day and she was being hired on as a waitress at Jesse's _California Subs_ shop.

"I thought gang members didn't work," she moved her hand to her forehead and let out a light groan. Jesse laughed and gave her thirty minutes to get ready. Of course gang members could either work or not work, it really depended on how they wanted to spend their days, and most did work because not every gang member was wealthy. "Okay I'm getting up…"

She threw off the covers and sat up slowly. It wouldn't be difficult to do the job, she'd done waitressing jobs before. It was nearly nine, and she preferred sleeping closer to noontime. However she had to be in at ten and was carpooling with Jesse since it would be better to take just one car rather than two.

When she finished dressing up and brushing her hair, she met Jesse outside. "Finally got up, huh?" Jesse smirked coyly as Trina mumbled and climbed into the passenger side of the car. He got in and started the vehicle up. "Not much of a morning person I see."

"Not when I'm used to waking up at noon." She swept her fingernails through her hair and glanced into the side mirror of the car. "I don't know what time I got in last night. Vivian and I bought a bunch of shirts and pants. Didn't have anything to drink, but I've got a little bit of a headache. Just took some Tylenol on the way down."

"It might just be stress or something. Vivian told me what happened at your sister's." She didn't think that was her proudest moment, to be honest. Sure, Andre had it coming, but she should have had more control. She set her head on her fingertips and closed her eyes, sighing heavily as last night's scene played in her head.

"I shouldn't have attacked the guy, I was just pissed off."

"Well, there isn't much to do about it now. She also talked about the stakeout with Ross. Still studying him?"

"Yes. Turns out he and his dad have been fighting a lot. Over the last couple of days they've been pretty heated up." She was glad that the father and son were becoming irritable with each other, it made life much easier for her. Jesse thinned his lips and tapped his thumb on the steering wheel.

"Sounds like a believable frame job. You know, it's also possible they'll destroy each other themselves."

She dropped her hand to the door and narrowed her eyes at the passing trees outside. "That's not good enough for me, Jesse. Ross needs to pay for what he did. His father needs to realize the injustice in letting a murderer walk, and he's a goddamn judge!" She could see the discomfort even though the shades covering his eyes. "Why are you trying to protect me? I know what I'm getting into. You're not going to convince me against this path, so how can I convince you that Ross needs to die?"

"Most people need to convince me of an assassination, and I do let a lot of revenge kills happen. Usually I have someone else do the job. I'm just saying, you seem like a good woman, raised up to be anything but someone in a gang. If you kill someone, it stays with you forever. You will _never_ be able to wash that away. You'll be killing Ross out of revenge, and it's going to hit you."

"I don't care."

Jesse stopped the car at a red light and loosened his arms as he slid his hands along the steering wheel. "Have you ever killed someone before?" Trina frowned and looked over to Jesse, she shook her head and slouched her shoulders. "Look. I can tell your boyfriend was a good man and he was probably lucky to have you. You're bright, attractive, and a good woman. All that he loved about you, you may lose it if you're not careful. I can see all the anger, all the hate and rage in you, and it's understandable after losing him. You're letting it take over, and unless that is something you want to happen, then I think you need to understand what you're in for in this life."

"I will deal with it when it happens, Jesse. Thank you for your concern, though. If you saw how much of a bastard Ross was, you'd want him dead too. Just like that asshole, Beck…"

"That's what I mean right there." She hesitated as the light turned green and the car began to turn the corner. "It's like a drug, you know. If you're not careful with it, you'll just want to keep hitting it, more and more. The human brain is affected in the same way…it's an addiction, this life. You'd have to see for yourself, however. I won't be able to convince you of that."

"I can control myself just fine."

"Like you controlled yourself last night?"

"That was different!" She crossed her arms and looked out the window, flaring her nostrils out as she thought back onto Andre. It was her first real act of violence against any of Tori's friends, aside from having beaten them up during her wisdom teeth operation. "Andre's an abusive prick that hits his own grandmother on a daily basis. He deserved to be smacked around! Not to mention, Jade's still with Beck…but it's like he's got her on a leash or something. I didn't strike that asshole."

"Only because you saw Vivian in the window and decided to leave. Who is to say you wouldn't have attacked him later on if you stayed there? I'm just trying to tell you so you can know what to expect living in a gang; All that anger and violence is going to rise, it's going to consume you. Is that something you want?"

"I'll deal with it when it comes up…" She honestly didn't care at the moment. She only wanted one thing, and she was going to get what she wanted. "Just let me be, Jesse" He sighed in defeat and pulled into a parking lot.

"All right. I won't bring it up again. You've made your decision."

"Thank you." Though even Vivian had points to make, saying Trina didn't even look like a gangster. Maybe that's what Jesse thought, that she wasn't cut out to be a gang member. How could she prove to him that she had what it takes? She wanted to be a part of this community, this family, no matter what.

Exiting the car, she saw a church across the street. Her heart dropped as she saw people walking inside for a Wednesday morning bible study. Trina turned away, feeling a sting of pain. Of course, she and Sinjin used to attend a church every week with her family. "You okay?" Jesse walked around the car, his eyes trailing over to the church.

"I'm just fine. I'm ready start working." She walked into the building with Jesse following behind. "I've done waitressing jobs before, so I know what to expect, but I'll probably still need to shadow someone or something."

"Right. That's what I'm here for. I'll be watching and training you." Entering the building, the place looked a lot like Jason's Deli. There was a counter with a display window and a cashier behind it. There was a wall that separated the preparation area. The main lobby had many tables with people already sitting at it, waiting for their lunch orders to come to them. Each person at a table had a number matching their orders.

She watched a waiter carry a tray of a salmon sandwich with pickles towards one of these tables. How hard could it be? "All right then, I'm ready to get started."

"Still need to change into the uniform and I need to prep you. You have to know how this place runs and everything."

"Got it…"

It was about forty minutes before she got to get out on the floor with Jesse. The uniform consisted of a red polo shirt, black pants, and a name badge. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail to avoid getting anything in the food. They also had an apron with pockets around the waist for calculators, receipt books, and so on. Jesse joined her out on the floor soon after. "I'm guessing since you've been a waitress, the training might seem a little mundane to you."

"Eh, I'm used to it." She heard someone call an order up and followed Jesse to the waiter stand, which was essentially a window that the chefs placed the orders in for the waiters to retrieve. She grabbed the tray and checked the number. "Fifty two."

"All right, now look around the lobby first and see if you can spot fifty two. You don't want to be wandering around looking like you lost something."

"Right." She glanced around the lobby and spotted the number at the far end of the lobby. "I see it, over by the window."

"Okay." They walked over to the table where a couple was chatting about the day. The man and woman looked up with hungry eyes and cheerful smiles. Jesse took one of the plates and set it down in front of the woman, "Chicken sub with lettuce and mayo?" She confirmed her order and Trina set the man's order down before him. When they returned to the waiting station, she felt accomplished in having delivered her first order.

They went through the day doing this same thing, but Jesse also showed her how to clean out the fountain drink station. She also swept under tables and wiped them down when customers were done.

With an hour left in the day, she and Jesse stopped at the waiting station and grabbed a tray full of food for two people. "All right, I'll let you handle this order, but I'm going to be right there to see you get it down. Remember to smile, confirm their order and tell them to enjoy the meal."

"Yeah, okay." He was a very good trainer and a good boss, she appreciated all the help he gave and figured he must treat all his workers with this same respect. He really cared about his business and making sure it ran like a well oiled machine.

She checked the number and looked through the lobby for thirty-five. As she walked, Jesse followed, observing her. She froze when she got closer and saw who was sitting at the table. Jesse glanced up to her and frowned, "Is there a problem, Trina?"

"Y-Yes. It's _him_…" Sitting at a two seat table next to a window was Ross with his father. Ross had his elbows bent on the table and hands clasped with his chin on top of them and gaze turned out the window. Jesse's father was watching him with a stern gaze and hard expression. The bile rose up in her throat as she was tempted to drop the order on the ground and run. "No. I got this."

"Okay, just hand them the food and walk away. You don't need to talk to Ross, you don't need to talk to his father. All you need to be concerned with is doing your job."

"Right." As she got closer, she could hear the dad complaining to Ross about a girl he recently dated. Ross treated her badly, had sex with her, then dumped her. Trina's stomach curdled with disgust. She looked back to Jesse, who had the same look of disgust on his face.

"Your mother and I raised you better than how you're acting, Samuel. If she were still around, your mother would not approve." Ross rolled his eyes and shifted his glare onto his father.

"Do you honestly think I give a shit, dad? I'll do what I want, say what I want, and-" He glanced over as Trina and Jesse arrived at the table. His lip curled up into a sly smirk as he leaned back and hung his elbow over his chair. "Well look who's bringing me a sandwich." Trina narrowed her eyes and swallowed the rising urge to vomit. "I had the Alaskan Salmon, babe." Trina locked her jaw and slowly set the plate down before him.

"Samuel, you do not treat your waiter like this."

"Shut up dad."

"Do not talk to me in such a manner!"

"Seriously. Stop." Ross smirked at Trina and wagged his eyebrows. "Where have you been? You're not jogging around the neighborhood anymore, I thought you must have killed yourself. How are you holding up?" He leaned forward and dropped his hands to the table. "It's a real shame what happened to your boyfriend, isn't it? I'm sure he'll get justice one day."

Trina bowed her head slightly and she lowered her voice to a whisper, struggling to keep her tears inside. "You're such an asshole…" Jesse looked from Trina to Ross, slowly clenching his fists.

The father took his plate and scowled at his son, "Damn it Samuel. Leave her alone, you've done enough." Ross moved his hands behind his head and chuckled softly.

"Hey babe, one night with me and you'll forget all about that old boyfriend of yours. He was a boy, bet you've never been with a real man." Trina flinched and tensed her body as Ross's father threw his hands up.

"I give up." He turned to Trina and offered an apologetic look. "I'm sorry about him."

"You're no better," she sneered at him, unable to contain her rage for much longer. "You're the one that paid to keep him out of jail." She turned away and walked off a bit, stopping when she didn't see Jesse near her. A soft whimper left her lips as the air began to grow colder. She turned around, startled to see Jesse still standing at the table and Ross walking towards the bathroom.

Jesse's legs were spread out and his arms were crossed. "I apologize for your son, Mr. Ross." The judge looked up to Jesse with hopeless eyes. "I imagine you came here to relax, so please, let me offer you a deal."

"What deal is that?"

"Come to Cedars Pub tonight, have a drink on me good sir." Jesse's lips curled into a deadly smirk as his eyes drifted towards the bathrooms. "Allow yourself some time away from dear old son for a while…"

"He's working my last nerve."

"I'm sure, I'm sure." Jesse reached into his utility pocket and pulled out a card for Cedars. "I'll be there at seven, Judge." The judge took the card between two fingers and studied it carefully.

"Do you know what the city will think of me if they see me at a bar?"

"Oh? Well just put a hood on or something. I'm offering you free drinks." The man looked up to the bathroom to see Ross hitting on some girl that just walked out. He grumbled and glanced back to the card.

"I'll be there."

"Excellent!" Trina furrowed her brow as Jesse walked up to her and motioned for her to keep walking.

"What was that about?" She whispered. Jesse closed his eyes and lifted his shoulders.

"Remember Roger? Cedars is a tiny little bar owned by him, and it's nestled in a nice part of town but few people actually go there, primarily because it's a key hangout spot for the Knights. Something people are not aware of." His eyes narrowed and Trina's jaw dropped as she studied him. "Tonight, you will see a master manipulator at work…"

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So it's official, Ross is going down, though I wonder what's in store for the father, we shall see. Certain people like Ross, they're scum of the earth. Tell me your thoughts of this chapter.


	9. Just a little Practice

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

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Chapter 9 (Practice)

Trina followed Tiffany out to a back alley where there were three makeshift dummy mannequins. There was one in the middle that strongly resembled Ross, so what was this for? "Tiffany, who set this up and why?" Tiffany positioned her elbow on the mannequin's shoulder and smirked as she pointed her thumb to her chest.

"Me. Jesse sent a photo of Ross and I created a mannequin that looks almost exactly like him." Trina's eyebrows rose as Tiffany pushed away from the mannequin. "To a drunkard, it's real enough, and it's going to stay engrained in the judge's mind that he just shot his son." Her jaw fell and pride swept over her. She couldn't believe her ears, they were actually going through with this! Only, what did a mannequin have to do with Ross?

"So why is the judge shooting a mannequin of his son and how do you plan on getting him out here to do so?"

"Well. First we're going to get him so drunk that he remembers nothing, and if he has flashes, he'll remember shooting his son. At the same time, if he did remember anything, well his reputation as a drunkard is shot. There will be people who see him drinking, our own gang members of course, including Roger…our happy little bartender." Tiffany pat the mannequin on the chest and walked away, retaining her smirk. "Already you can feel the stories cooking up. Jesse's giving them all their lines right now. When we're done here, daddy dearest will be going away for a long, _long_ time. Not to mention, when the investigators do their work, they'll find gunpowder residue on the Judge's hand and arm, further sealing his fate."

"And Ross?"

"He'll be six under, dear." Trina smiled as she watched Tiffany walk from the walled off target range. They made their way through the narrow crevices of the alley, with Tiffany stopping to point out some graffiti on the building. "This marks our territory." Trina saw a giant K with a zig-zag line framing it and two lines under the K. It was all done with black spray paint. "There are literally hundreds of tags all around the city." She was blown away by the info.

"So…you know quite a bit about decorating a mannequin."

"My sister was a hair stylist and fashion designer that worked with mannequins. So over the years, I picked up on how to make mannequins look like actual people and even learned from her how to make them look like people we know. It's not that difficult really. You just need the right texture, right colors, makeup and other effects…such as blood hidden under the jackets."

"What?" She looked back towards the alley and lifted her eyebrows. "There's blood in there?"

"Hospital blood, yes. The Knights have doctors, nurses, and even police on our tab. Makes things just a little bit easier, and Jesse knows how to smooth talk or charm his way through just about any situation. I'm almost surprised he didn't charm you into joining the gang."

"He tried to keep me _from_ joining. Remember?"

"True." Tiffany crossed her arms and exhaled slowly. "He comes off rough and is a feared, ruthless leader, as evidenced when Beck and the Scrapperz backed off the other day at that bar. The other gangs know how ruthless he can be. Yet, he's also known to show compassion and can be kind. He's turned people away from the gang when he doesn't think they should join, and that doesn't happen often. He, Vivian and I saw you as a strong willed, beautiful woman who has a good life whether or not you get treated right-and we know what it's like to lose everything and truly have nowhere to turn to, but we didn't have something like you pull us into joining the group…by joining a gang, you're throwing away your entire life whether you know it or not."

"Still, it's something that I'm choosing to do, and I don't need anybody else to tell me whether or not I can do it." They stopped at a crosswalk and Trina watched as cars flew by. "I spent most of my life doing things people told me not to do just because of that. I mean of course I respect authority and whatnot, but when it comes to making my own decisions in life, I tell people to just let me make that decision."

"And we understand that. We do." The cars stopped for a light, leaving a path for the girls to cross. "Just understand that there may still be people in your life that care about you. Most everyone in the Knights can tell you there's nobody left for them. We've all either been abused, abandoned, and left with truly nobody who gave a shit. That's not you."

"Name one person."

Tiffany chuckled. "Your sister." Trina stopped walking as the wind blew past her hair. Her heart stalled and tears threatened her eyes. Tiffany looked back to her and tapped her arm with her fingers. "It's obvious to me with the way you talk about her, she adores you. Maybe in the cold, dark, and bleak world…she's your light. Whether you're ready to see that or not."

"Unfortunately she's surrounded by assholes." She'd do anything to protect Tori from them, and wanted the best for her little sister. At the same time, she wasn't ready to go back there. Maybe once Ross was dead, but then, there was still the matter of the danger that Tori was in without even realizing it. One of her best friends was a dangerously high member of a dangerous new gang. She narrowed her eyes and flattened her lips. "Maybe you're forgetting, her best friend's still dating Beck Oliver. She still hangs with a guy that's got a creepy obsession with a puppet, and another guy who is an aggressive, abusive man."

"Right…"

"Maybe I can learn to protect her through this gang?" Tiffany frowned and slowly turned back around as she continued to walk. Trina sped up beside her and raised an eyebrow at her. "What?"

"Just try not to lose who you are. A lot of people come into a gang and they completely lose their sense of self and identity. You're on a dangerous path because you came in yearning for revenge. That anger will consume you if you're not careful. You understand that, I guess. I mean, I'm not trying to talk you out of being a part of this…I'm saying we'd all still be your friend whether or not you were a part of the Knights."

"I've made my decision, Tiffany. I have nothing left to live for except for Tori, and even she's under the influence of those asshole friends of hers." In the distance, she could see a man standing with a woman whose back was against a building. He was gazing into her eyes and had his palm beside her head. Upon closer inspection, she saw it was Beck and some random blonde girl. Her muscles flinched and she pushed her hands into her pant pockets. "There's Beck…" Tiffany glanced over and narrowed her eyes.

"Shit, what's he doing in our territory? Does he live in this part of town?"

"I don't think so…" Beck was everywhere it appeared. She and Tiffany hid behind a couple shrubs and peered over the top. Trina watched with a growing sense of disgust as Beck curled a finger beneath the blonde's chin. The girl looked away from him and he pulled her gaze back to him. "How the fuck can he do this to Jade?"

"I've seen this before. The Scrapperz recruit a lot of prostitutes in their fold. Usually a gang member charms them and takes them into one of the hangouts." Tiffany growled under her breath and narrowed her eyes. "Then they initiate them into the gang."

"God, I'm glad I never ran into them…"

"You remember Candy? One of the girls with Roger and the others at the karaoke bar?" Trina could hardly recall the girl since she never spoke with her, but she did remember her. She had short spiky hair and dark mascara on. "She was a former Scrapper. A prostitute picked up by one of the members. When she tried to get away from them, she ran to the Black Knights. A gang war broke out, their second-in-command died…and he was in charge of that gang war, so killing him ended the fight, and Candy was allowed into the Knights."

"Sounds like she's one of the lucky ones then."

"She is." Tiffany turned her back to the shrub while Trina watched Beck caress the girl's arm. Was this another prostitute that Beck was trying to recruit? She began to growl and started to rise up, but Tiffany grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her down. "Relax. I'm trying to think. You can't just run up and stop them when they're doing this…"

"The hell I can't. Remember, Beck doesn't know I'm affiliated with the Knights! I'm useful!" Tiffany's eyebrow arched up as she looked back over her shoulder. "I don't have to do much other than just make sure he forgets all about this girl."

"You're not exactly on good terms with him right now, Trina."

"He wouldn't do shit to me. To him, I'm Tori's sister." Of course, she wasn't that confident in what she was saying. One of the many things she hated about him was his having tried to get Tori to kiss him when she wasn't interested. If he had that much disrespect, the chances of him leaving her alone because she was 'Tori's sister' were rather slim. "If you want to come with me, you can."

"No. He'd recognize me as part of the Knights. All the Scrapperz have seen us."

"Fair enough." Trina pushed herself up and walked around the shrubs. She'd been practicing up on some smooth talking of her own, hoping maybe to emulate Jesse just a little bit. As she crossed the street, Beck turned his head over his shoulder and narrowed his eyes on her. "Hey Beck, what are you doing?"

"Um…" He looked back to the prostitute and pulled his hand away, sighing heavily. "Talking to someone."

"Really? Because it looks more like you're cheating on Jade." He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. The girl next to him looked graciously at Trina and rushed off to the other side of the street. Beck's face tensed and he lowered his arms. Trina flashed a smirk as she watched the girl run around the corner of a building.

"Goddamn it!" Beck turned his glare onto her and took a dangerous step towards her. She remained unflinching and stood strong, glaring back into his eyes. "What you saw here stays here, got that?"

"Or, I could tell Jade you're sleeping around."

"She already knows I am. She doesn't care."

"Believe me, she cares. She's a woman, of course she cares. You can't treat her like shit forever, Beck."

"There's not a damned thing you can do. Don't think just because you're Tori's big sister that I'm going to stand down from you." He smirked at her and tilted his head to the right. "There's a lot you don't know about me, Vega."

"Oh no, I think I know more than you realize. Just like Ross, you're another asshole who thinks he can get away with whatever he wants. Your time's coming though, Beck. You won't get away with shit forever." Beck ripped out with a scoff and laughter.

"Are you _threatening_ me? You think I'm scared of you?" He held out his arms and wagged his eyebrows. "I'm not Andre or Robbie, I don't shit my pants just because you become vicious. Remember, I date a vicious woman who is ten times scarier than you." Trina flashed a cold smirk and turned her back to him, shrugging her shoulders.

"Oh Beck, I'm nowhere near threatening you. But don't misjudge a pretty face. I don't think Jade and I are all that different in reality, but she is a hell of a lot nicer than I am."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means, I can be a cold hard bitch if I want to." She turned her glare over her shoulder and narrowed her eyes. "Since Sinjin's gone, and with Tori influenced by you guys, there's nothing holding me back. I will say, if you do anything to Tori, it will be the last thing you ever do. Seeing you for what you really are tells me a great deal, and I don't exactly like that you're involved with Tori."

"You don't know shit about me, Trina."

"I know you're a pompous, pretentious asshole who likes to pretend they're so cool and chill around their friends…" She walked off, confident that Beck would not try anything. He wouldn't dare in this territory. By now, all of the Knights knew her, and there were more than plenty of them wondering the streets. If a Scrapperz member were to strike her, all the Knights in the vicinity would attack. With Beck in his high position, he had to know this fact well, despite not knowing she was a part of the Knights. He knew better than to chance an attack on _anyone_ in a rival gang territory.

"One day Vega, someone's going to knock you off your high horse."

"Spoken like a true hypocrite, Beck…"

"Fuck you."

"No thanks. You're not my type." She bat her eyelashes at him, then crossed the street towards where Tiffany was. Beck grumbled angrily and stormed off. When out of sight, Tiffany stepped into view and crossed her arms, staring at Trina with a look of disbelief. She smirked and shook her head.

"God Trina, are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

"What? I got him to forget about recruiting that girl."

"That's true." Tiffany laughed and pat her back as they began to walk. "Good job on that. I didn't know you could talk your way through something like that with someone like _him_." Enough practice and influence from Jesse could potentially be a good thing.

"Eh, he was good practice. Now for Ross, right?"

"Still a few things to go over, but yes. Ross will be dealt with tonight."

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Oh Beck, keep it up, you're gonna live forever. Oh wait, nope, his days are numbered. Though, he is going to be the primary asshole pretty soon. What did you guys think of all this?


	10. Trina's Transformation

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N

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Chapter 10 (Trina's Transformation)

At Roger's bar, Trina sat at a table within earshot of Jesse, who was at the bar with Roger standing on the other side. "You're taking great care with this assassination," Roger said as he wiped down the bar. "You usually do, but it seems like you're handling this one with more care. What's different?" Jesse took a sip of his beer and flattened his shoulders. There were about four other gang members at the bar, and two gang members at the billiards table nearby. All requested by Jesse.

"This is one of the most powerful judges in the city," he replied, "Nothing can go wrong and absolutely nothing can be traced back to us. Now, give me some of the Absolut Vodka, and set it down next to me." Roger did as instructed and Trina watched as Jesse poured some strange powder into the glass. He saw her studious expression and pushed the glass to the side. "I just put an undetectable drug into the drink, it will cause the judge to get drunk that much faster. We don't have all night, even though patience is a virtue."

"So we're not killing the judge?" The gang member next to him asked. "Who are we taking out then, and why are we getting the judge drunk?"

"We will be killing his son, and planting it on him. You all will be witnesses to his appearance at the bar. When the investigators question you, you do not mention me, but you mention the judge. I'll get him to talk about his son, and when he's real drunk, you will mention to investigators that he was rambling on about his guilt over his son having killed that man, and his anger over the things his son is doing…and you mention to the investigators the judge's drunken fantasy about killing Samuel Ross just so he can stop being so stressed out. Got that?"

"Yes sir." Trina was amazed by how thought out this plan was, but at the same time, she didn't know how they were going to get the judge to the shooting range. There was a female gang member at the bar, suggesting she was going to seduce the judge into going to the shooting range, but hopefully while drunk. The woman looked up to Jesse and straightened her back.

"Where do I come in?" Jesse leaned sideways a bit and sipped his beer.

"When he's completely shitfaced, take him to the alley. Take the way out back of the bar, make sure he's not seen by anybody. Trina and I will drive him home later, but we will not be driving all the way to the house. I've found a pathway behind all the houses and yards, a way that is out of sight of any of the neighbors, but most neighbors will be asleep anyway."

"Okay." The door opened and Jesse turned to see the judge walking in. He had a leather jacket over a white t-shirt and black pants. His thick brown mustache bristles blew out as he breathed through his nose. He had a black cowboy hat on his head and had the collar of his jacket up to conceal himself a bit more.

"Ah Judge Ross! Nice to see you made it." The Judge winced and sat beside Jesse.

"Not so loud."

"It's fine. Here, first drink is on me…" Jesse pushed the vodka towards the judge and smiled charmingly. "Don't worry, the city won't know you're here Judge." Trina leaned against her hand, studying Jesse closely. Jesse tugged on the judge's jacket and pretended to be impressed. "That is a nice jacket of yours."

"Thank you, Son." The judge sipped his vodka and closed his eyes. "You're right, this really takes the stress off." He set the glass down and shook his head. "I can't tell you how frustrated I am with Samuel, he's become more arrogant than ever since he shot that boy…"

"He shot someone?" Jesse cupped his hand over his mouth while the judge bowed his head. Trina growled and turned away. One of the gang members sat a margarita in front of her that she'd requested. It was a margarita with mango, peach, Captain Morgan spiced rum, and tequila. She stirred the drink with the straw and closed her eyes, still listening in to the conversation with the judge.

"Yes, it was an unfortunate situation. He's still my son, though." The judge took another sip of his drink and exhaled sharply. "Damn this is strong. It does take the edge off."

"I'm glad, I'll buy you another as soon as you're done if you'd like."

"I would appreciate it. Just anything to get this shit off my mind."

"Of course. You're among friends here."

About three hours later, the judge was drunk as sin. Trina was amused seeing him arm and arm with some of the gang members and singing to Clementine and other songs. The judge was laughing vicariously and swinging around a beer mug that he kept refilling. As planned, Jesse and the other gang members did get him talking about how much he wanted his son out of his life.

At this point, Jesse only had to twirl his finger to get Roger to refill the judge's drink without the man realizing it. At the peak of his drunkenness, the woman beside him reached over to feel his bicep. The judge grinned at her and leaned into her. "Well hello there lady. Like what you see?"

"Oh yes," the woman feigned her impression and leaned onto his shoulder. "You seem like a nice, strong, burly man." Trina covered her growing smile and listened in as the woman continued to seduce him. She reached down to his leg and felt of his hip. "Ooh, is that a gun?"

"Yes. I carry it with me for protection, you never know when you might need it."

"Oh, so I imagine you know your way around a pistol?" She bat her eyelashes at him and started to smirk. "Would you like to show me? I don't think I've ever shot a gun before. I know this nice firing range nearby…"

It wasn't long before the judge was being guided out, although stumbling over his every step. Jesse moved over to Trina's table and stared at the empty margarita glass. "Not even twenty one yet and you're already getting your alcohol, I see."

"I was under the impression you had underage drinkers in your gang, Jesse." She smirked playfully and he started to chuckle.

"That is true, so it's not surprising. I never pegged you to be one of them."

"It isn't my first, either. My boyfriend was older, and on occasion he had a glass of wine or a beer with his meal. He let me have some too if I asked. I've never been drunk, though."

"I don't recommend it. It leads to nasty hangovers." Jesse leaned back in his chair. "So are you ready for tonight? You're going to get what you've been wanting. Revenge. For Sinjin, and yourself. All the pain Ross has caused you, you'll get justice."

"It feels good. I'm going to enjoy seeing Ross squirm."

"I imagine you will…"

About thirty minutes later, the judge returned, spouting off that he'd just shot his son. Tiffany's job was well done! He was in so much turmoil that he would likely remember this if he ever remembered anything. Jesse walked over and pat the judge's shoulders as the man studied his hands. "Judge, I think you're drunk…"

"N-No. I can't. I…" The man started to moan as he stumbled forward and fell to his knees. "I don't feel well."

"I think you need to walk home. I'll have someone walk with you." Jesse called over one of the gang members and introduced him to the judge. This was a slight change in plans, but Jesse had figured it was best that he not be seen driving with the man. "He'll get you there and will make sure no one sees you."

"Okay. T-Thank you."

"Not a problem Judge." As the gang member guided him out, Jesse turned to Trina and flashed a smile. "Well. It's time. Get your gloves. Drew will be taking the judge's gun off him for us. Though, I have a feeling we may not need to shoot Ross down ourselves."

"What do you mean?"

"The second part of my plan. Remember that I've had a distraction for Ross." Right, she remembered that one of the female gang members was going to try and seduce Ross. Though, Jesse told the girl he preferred no sexual activity happened. "We'll be right there with the judge. If my plan works, the Judge will do the shooting himself…if not, I'll do it." She trusted him and believed in his plan, this had to work. "It will look better if the judge does it himself, that is my thinking. I improvised for this when you discovered that he'd been fighting his son for a while now. And an alcoholic is easy to manipulate as well as read…"

"Okay." She didn't care how they went about it as long as Ross was _dead_. Although she wanted to pull the trigger herself, she understood why Jesse was doing it this way, and acknowledged that it was truly better. She grabbed her brown leather gloves from the table and slipped them onto her hands. "Let's go then, I want to get this over with…a long time coming."

They arrived at the house before the judge did, so they waited until they saw him walking with the gang member before entering. When they did, they found the female gang member cuddling with the Ross on the couch. He was shirtless and only in his boxers. He had his arm around the girl, who had torn her shirt, stretched the collar out, and unbuttoned her pants.

Ross looked up as Trina stepped into the room, disgusted with him. Tension filled the air as her malice seeped into her veins and curdled in her teeth. Ross laughed and lifted his hands up. "Trina! I didn't know you were coming, I wasn't expecting company."

"I came for you, Ross."

"You know my name is Samuel, right? You can stop calling me by my last name now…"

"No. That's not going to happen."

"Aw? Are you still sore because I shot your boyfriend?" He stood up and walked forward, gazing strongly into her eyes. "Let me make it up to you, but I have to warn you, you might be pretty sore in the morning." She growled vehemently and twisted her lips into a smirk. "What is it?"

"What is it? Why do you think I would possibly want to visit you?" She heard the lock on the back door unlatch. Ross turned his head seconds after the female guard removed her torn shirt and pushed her bra strap down. "That should be your father right now, Ross…"

"What?" Trina slipped out of view, stepping beside Jesse. They made their way through the kitchen, popping out near the back door just as the judge stepped in with the gang member. Ross turned to face his father, his eyes wide and expression full of sheer terror. The judge's eyes fell to the girl on the couch and his face twisted into an angry sneer. "Dad! It's not what it looks like."

"Help me!" The girl screamed out as she ran over to the judge, clutching her shirt and crying. "He tried to hurt me! He was hitting me and cursing because I wouldn't sleep with him."

"What?!" Ross was speechless. Trina stood amused by the look of shock on his face. "What are you talking about? All we did was cuddle…and a little foreplay. You said-you said-"

"Samuel!" the judge roared out, hatred flashed through his drunken glare as he stumbled forward. "I've had about enough of this. The way you go about with women-you're going to destroy my career!"

Jesse stepped behind the Judge and began whispering in his ear, "You should see the mess he made of your room with some of the girls he's been sleeping with." The Judge's eyes widened as Ross looked dumbfounded. "There's also been rumors at the college, he wants you to end your career. He doesn't give two cents about you. He only cares about himself, judge." Now came the power of suggestion. Trina watched gleefully as Jesse started to whisper on the other side of the man. "Don't worry, you've been planning this for a while. You admitted that, right? You've wanted him dead haven't you?" The way this worked for a drunk, it made them think it was just their own thoughts talking to them. Voices in their head telling them to do what they want most of all. "You can save your career…"

Jesse stepped back as Ross started to curse, not knowing what was going on. He made eye contact with Trina and froze, suddenly realizing what was about to happen. Before he could react, the judge roared out with anger, tore his pistol from his hip and fired off two shots.

Trina watched as Ross jerked back, two bullet holes formed at his chest, dropping him to the ground. The scent of fresh blood wavered into her nostrils, mixing with her brain as she began to sigh. She felt a huge weight lift from her shoulders as she studied the blood pooling beneath Ross. The judge stumbled forward, holding his waist and groaning.

"And now the drunk gets to pass out," Jesse rolled his eyes and watched as the father stumbled towards his son and fell beside him, still holding the gun in his hand. "We may have socks on our feet, but do not go anywhere near Ross's body. We don't need to leave footprints or any kind of tracing." He turned around and started for the still open back door. "Let's go…"

"Give me a moment, Jesse." He turned around and meshed his eyebrows together while Trina continued to smile at the sight. She had mixed feelings about this kill. On one hand, she was thrilled to see Ross lay moaning out and dying. On another hand, she did feel a strain of guilt. Ross turned his head towards Trina and began whimpering. "How's it feel, Ross? To be the one laying down, dying." She laughed at him, full of scorn and hate, just to make him feel what she felt as he laughed at her. "You should have walked away, Ross! You should have fucking walked away!"

He coughed and began to lift his bloody arm as blood trickled from his mouth. "You should have listened to me when I said back off, Ross. Now you see what happens when you cross _me_, when you piss _me_ off. What's that song of Jade's? Hey Ross…I'm dangerous." She flipped her hair over her shoulder as an icy smirk grew on her face. Ross's arm fell back down and Trina watched as the life began to leave his eyes.

"Trina. Come on." Jesse's voice was quiet as he motioned for her. She looked over her shoulder and her expression began to soften. "It's time to leave. Things are going to be hell for the judge in the next few days…I'm sure you'll be watching the news for that?"

"Yes. I want to see the bastard get put away." She followed him and the other gang members out of the house. As they walked, concealed by the moonless sky, she spotted an old tree nearby with leaves blowing away from it. She took a deep breath and pressed her lips tight together. "I'm no longer just Trina, but Katrina Usha Vega."

"Usha?"

"It _is_ my middle name, my mother decided on it…" Which was horrible really, but Holly told her a few years back that she didn't know it meant anything. "It was supposed to be Usha Katrina, after my great-great grandmother Usha Daniels." It was a Hindi name as the woman came from India. However, the meaning behind the name Usha was that it was a Hindi mythical name of a demon princess, daughter of heaven, and sister of night also meaning 'dawn'. "It means dawn."

"Okay…" Jesse looked back to the female gang member who was staying behind. She needed to stick around to call the police and notify them that Ross beat her until his father came in and shot him. "I love when a good plan comes together."

"So do I, Jesse. So do I." He raised an eyebrow and shook his head. "I'm going to see my sister tomorrow. Maybe watch the news. See what happens to the judge." The image of Ross's body was now stained into memory, and for some reason, she was remembering Sinjin laying on those leaves in a pool of his own blood. She tried to push that memory out, but couldn't. _"Avenged. So why does it not feel that way?"_ Now that Ross was gone, what was she to do now? She had her thoughts, and the anger inside of her still remained, waiting to be quenched.

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Ross is dead, and I must say, what a way to go. What are your thoughts


	11. In the News

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

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Chapter 11 (In the News)

That night, Trina tossed and turned as nightmares plagued her. She couldn't erase the image of Ross's dead, lifeless eyes gazing out at her. She had to force herself to move on, as the mission also finally integrated her as an official member of the gang, so no longer was she just an outsider, she was a full-fledged soldier for the Knights.

She knew the ranking system of the gang, it was in fact a structured hierarchy. The regular Knight was a soldier that would be given a silver ring crafted by the jewelers. The ring would be worn on any finger, but it was predominantly the index or ring finger. The boss, Jesse, was known as the Onyx Knight and had a pitch black ring that he sometimes wore on his hand and sometimes didn't.

The underboss, which Trina still didn't know was considered the Gold Knight and had a gold ring. Beneath that person were the captains, also known as the red knights. There were approximately three and each of them had three Lieutenants beneath them, designated by the color blue. Each of them were in charge of two sects of warrior knights, also designated by a white ring. Beneath the warriors were the initiated full members of the gang, the regular soldiers. Under all the soldiers were outsiders, prospects, members designated with no ring.

Now that she knew this, she wanted to take a look at what level Tiffany and Vivian were at. Whether it was silver, white, blue, red, or gold. She knew they had to be at least white. It didn't take much to be a promising member to one of the Blue Knights and to be upped into their Warrior division. Many soldiers apparently wanted to be a white knight, but apparently they were among the best.

She descended the mansion steps carefully and found Jesse in his kitchen with a sandwich. He looked up at her with surprise, "You're up early…it's only eight. The 9:00 news isn't even on yet."

"I never went to bed," Trina muttered and took her seat at the table. "Couldn't sleep." He frowned at her and took a bite of his sandwich. "I thought killing Ross would leave me satisfied, but I still feel empty inside. Why is that, Jesse? Tell me?"

He closed his eyes and swallowed the food down. "I can't explain that. Some people find they join a gang for a specific reason, and once that goal is met, it may or may not be enough. Maybe there's more to you than just wanting to take out Ross." She wanted to live, that's what she wanted. She wanted to let loose and experience life. "So, are you still planning to go see your sister?"

"Yes, but I need to kind of wake up first."

"There's a pot of coffee ready on the counter." She stood up and walked to the coffee pot, gracious for the sweet drink. She was still in her black and red robe with her fuzzy purple slippers. She'd shower and change soon enough, then she'd head out.

"So, this whole hierarchy thing, when will I find out who is who?" Jesse sipped from his coffee mug and turned his eyes over to her.

"Later today I'll introduce you. You're a soldier now, you're going to need to know who's who. You already know some, but you'll find out what positions they're all at later." She smiled and poured her coffee. "I don't like what's brewing with the Scrapperz lately, so while you're with your sister I'm going to be meeting with other gang leaders. We're going to have to take them out soon…"

"How does one do that? I mean, it must be difficult to remove a gang."

"It's impossible unless the leader themselves permanently disbands a gang. There is a reason for hierarchy, for soldiers. People will always be trained for the next position. There tends to always be someone ready to take a promotion when someone leaves. For instance, if a Red Knight falls, one of the Blue Knights will be promoted. It is that way for most gangs. To destroy a gang, one might have to do it from within. Or take out the strongest leaders first, then chop off the head."

"Has that ever happened?"

"Rare, but I'm sure it's happened with some gangs. Let's use the Scrapperz for example. They're small, they don't have much." Trina moved back to the table and sipped on her own drink. "Their head is a guy named Phil. The second and third in line are Quentin and Beck. They're in charge of only two captains each. Lewis and Parker for Quentin, William and Paul for Beck. Parker, Lewis, William, and Paul have soldiers beneath them and beneath those soldiers are all the new initiatives. Only certain people in a gang can promote, usually the top three tiers can promote."

"Top three? So in the Scrapperz, that would mean…"

"Well for them it's a little off kilter. Parker, Lewis, William and Paul can only choose soldiers from the initiatives and only for their own sects. In other words someone like Lewis cannot choose a soldier for Paul, and if Paul is dead, none of the other three can choose a replacement. That has to come from the person in charge, in which case it would be Beck that can promote directly under him. However Quentin and Beck would be more than capable of selecting from the soldiers a replacement of any to all of the four _unless_ they themselves were dead, in which case the responsibility falls on the leader. If the leader is dead, or in prison, then there's no one to promote, _unless_ Quentin or Beck is alive and the underboss will immediately assume role as the boss. Usually if there's more than one, the leader has to say beforehand who he wants. As for the Knights, I only have one underboss. If something happens to me, he rises up. The Gold knight, or myself, can choose a Red knight out of any of the _blue_. A warrior can't jump a promotion just as a Blue cannot skip over being a Red before they're a Gold. The Red knights choose someone to replace a Blue…"

"It all sounds complex."

"Pretty much. Just remember, Boss and Underboss can replace anyone in any position they see fit. Red Captains select out of their _own_ sectors a Blue Lieutenant. A soldier may impress a particular blue, and that blue can select a warrior for one of their two warrior sects. Typical of gangs are, there's no self promotion. Promotions come from above. Take the Scrapperz. If Beck, Quentin, and Phil die off, Parker, Lewis, William, and Paul are…up a creek with no paddle. They could potentially decide which of the four of them could continue on as a new boss, but when you lose all the higher members of a gang, sometimes it's best to just disband or else the other gangs will wipe you out."

"Okay…So now my head hurts." Jesse laughed as Trina shivered and stood up with her coffee. "I'm uh…I'm going to go see my sister now." He studied her for a second as she began moving for the door.

"In the robe?" She shrieked and spun around, realizing her mind was so cluttered that she forgot to get dress.

"Damn it! Now I'm all confused!"

"Uh huh."

It took her nearly an hour to get dressed and over to the Vega house. When she did, Tori answered the door and nearly tackled her with a tearful hug, catching her off guard. "Trina! Have you seen the news!"

"No…"

"It's that man. H-He's dead, Trina! The guy that killed Sinjin is dead!" Trina's eyes widened as Tori grabbed her wrist and pulled her to the couch. The girl's textbook was open on the coffee table, but only the front cover was open, suggesting it hadn't been in use yet. She took her seat beside Tori and looked at the television screen. "Can you believe it? Murdered! The asshole was murdered."

"What goes around comes around then…" She scoffed and crossed her arms as Tori looked up to her. "I mean, yeah it's a bad thing to happen to someone, but…this doesn't faze me. He killed Sinjin, I'm not going to feel bad for his death."

"I know. I don't really know how I feel either, but…his own _dad _killed him." Trina feigned surprise and watched the news reporter as the judge was led away in the background by the police.

_ "Samuel Ross was found dead in his house last night, gunned down by his father, Judge Francis Ross."_ The reporter brushed his hand through his thin brown hair and looked back at the man in front of the police station. The judge's hair was a mess and he had a guilty expression on his face. _"A woman who chose to remain anonymous called the police after being attacked by Samuel said in her statement that Judge Francis walked in and began yelling at his son. Screams turned to gunshots before the man passed out in his son's blood after a night of heavy drinking. We have a witness account from the bartender."_

Trina stifled a growing smirk when she saw the camera shift to Roger. The man spoke his account into the microphone with professional expertise. _"Mr. Ross came in last night for a drink, and one drink turned to another, and soon he was just ranting and raving about wanting his son out of his life. His words were, it would be less stressful for him."_

_ "Thank you sir." _The reporter returned to the camera and moved the microphone to his mouth. _"Mr. Ross accounts for remembering only waking up to find his son dead and the murder weapon in his hand as the police surrounded him in his house. He could not remember going to the bar or getting drunk, and accuses a voice in his own head of telling him to gun down his one and only son who just weeks ago came under scrutiny for a murder of his own."_

"Apple doesn't fall far from the tree, does it?" Trina scoffed. Tori nodded her head and looked down to her textbook.

"I'm glad Ross won't be an issue anymore, but I mean, I don't know. I shouldn't be glad that he got a taste of his own medicine, but I am. He got what he deserved. Right?"

"Yes." She stared at the Judge on the screen while Ross's dead body flashed in her mind. Her eyes contorted and darkened as her face twisted with anger. She tensed and relaxed herself and closed her eyes. Her hand moved to her head as other images came to her head. She saw Beck with that prostitute, Robbie pushing Rex into her bed, and Andre standing over his grandmother on the ground. She shook her head and slowly opened her eyes. "You expecting your friends today?"

"No. Jade might come over later, but she's busy with her own studies."

"You guys are in the same class, so what's the problem?"

"To be honest? She doesn't want Beck following her over here. He's really changing lately." Trina started to hum as she leaned back in the couch. Tori tapped her chin with her pen and studied the television. "Hey Trina? Can we pray?"

"Pray?" She raised an eyebrow and let her eyes drift over to Tori. "Why?" She didn't think much of prayer anymore, but was willing to give it a try if Tori wanted to.

"I just…I don't know. I think it would be good to pray for Sinjin, and well, pray for Ross too. He was still a person and his life was taken, monster or not."

"Well…I guess we can. I need some kind of closure with this, I suppose. Though, I can't say I'm unhappy."

"I know. Me either. I think that's what I want to pray about, you know?" Trina took a minute before smiling and taking her sister's hand in hers.

"All right. I can support that." How much would this prayer matter for her, though? Tori might get something different out of it than she would, considering her own faith was rather shakable at this point.

As they bowed their heads to pray, Trina could feel the anger in her beginning to subside. It wasn't much, and it wasn't something she'd say was profound, but it was enough to relax her nerves. At this point, it was what she needed to feel better.

By the time they were finished, Beck had arrived to their surprise. Trina jolted her head up, glaring at him suspiciously as Tori began to frown. "Beck what are you doing here?" Tori asked.

"I was looking for Jade, thought she might have come here. We got into a fight and she ran off." He looked to the television and pushed his hands into his pockets. "You see the news this morning? That guy's father gunned him down. I'm sure Sinjin must be thrilled."

"Sinjin wouldn't be happy with something like that," Trina admitted. The murder had been more for herself and the pain Ross caused her than it had been for Sinjin. Yet, she did do it for him as well. Sinjin would probably say a murder for a murder doesn't make something right. "Anyway, Jade isn't here. I'm here, spending time with Tori, so you can leave now."

"Seriously? You're just going to order me out of the house? You don't even live here anymore."

"She's right," Tori sighed, "I want to spend time with her and do some studying. I don't have time to hang out with you guys. If I see Jade, I'll let you know."

"Fine, and okay. Thanks." Beck shot a glare at Trina before leaving, clearly unhappy with her being chosen over him. She looked back to Tori and lifted her finger.

"Do _not _associate with him, Tori. If you see Jade, you keep her away from him too." Tori pursed her lips and looked away, confused as to why it so bad for Beck to be around. Trina couldn't fault her for not understanding, she didn't know what Beck was about. "You remember what we talked about with Jade saying he was part of that Scrapperz gang?"

"Yes…"

"That's why."

"Oh…" Tori began turning the pages in her textbook, searching furiously for a particular page. "I'm studying gangs right now, actually." Trina leaned back and Tori glanced up at her. "My crime organization class is doing a thing on them. You know it's really hard to extinguish a gang?"

"I heard you have to like take out all their high ranking members or something. I don't know much about it…"

"Yeah, something like that." Tori found her page and began studiously reading over the words. "I wonder what it's like. Being in a gang. Why do you think people join gangs? People like Beck…it just doesn't seem right…what makes them do it?"

"Community?" She shrugged and moved her hands behind her head. "Despair maybe? Maybe they have nowhere else to turn. Could be a number of things, to be honest."

"Yeah." Tori ran her hands over her thighs and sat upright, sighing heavily as she moved her head to Trina's shoulder. "Do you think Jade's going to be okay?"

"She's tough, she'll be fine." However, it wouldn't be a bad idea to check her out and just watch to make sure Beck didn't do anything. "I have a feeling Beck isn't letting her leave the relationship, though. That could be destructive."

"Not surprised. You know, Beck and Andre have been friends since before any of us."

"I see, so it would make sense they're both as aggressive as they are."

"And don't forget arrogant!"

"And pompous."

"Also big fat assholes." The sisters shared in a laugh, hugging each other once more. Tori stood up and stretched her arms out in front of her, yawning loudly. "So! Do you want some breakfast? Or have you eaten already?" Tori rushed over to the kitchen and Trina watched in admiration Tori gazed back so full of love.

"Just had coffee, so I guess I could take some cereal. Thank you."

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The struggle is ever present. I think the idea is that revenge doesn't bring closure and still leaves a hole and empty feeling, so...yeah...There's still quite a bit of anger, now directed at the three men that are and will soon be making Tori's and Jade's a living hell.


	12. On the Brink of War

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

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Chapter 12 (On the Brink of War)

Trina was called up to Jesse's mansion late in the afternoon and left without much hesitation after saying goodbye to Tori. Her father was still at work for the majority of the day and Holly hadn't come around, so she was happy not to have to deal with them, even though she wanted to hear what they had to say about Ross's death, if anything.

Her dad normally would have said something, but she understood his absence, considering he probably had to be there to give a statement since the current Police Chief was too sick to make an appearance for the news media in regards to their top judge being arrested. She was grateful to him for how hard he worked and thought he deserved to be the chief by now.

When she made it to Jesse's mansion, she saw many cars parked outside. Her heart began racing as she parked in the drive and exited the car. Was this _the_ meet where she'd see all of the high ranking Knights? She simply couldn't wait! She wanted to know everyone and to finally feel like she was a part of something big.

Entering the house, she heard Jesse asking someone to not do any drugs in the main room, telling them if they wanted to do any sort of drugs, to do it in one of the sealed off rooms on the second floor. Of course, this person was one of the soldiers visiting, either that or one of the warriors. According to Tiffany and Vivian, none of the Captains or Lieutenants did any drugs. Jesse and the underboss were clean as well.

She knew a big official meeting like this, everyone would have to wear their rings, so she was looking forward to finally figuring out the ranks of those she already knew. Several warrior knights would be here, and probably a few soldiers. She knew that to each lieutenant, and there were three to a captain, there were two sects of five per lieutenant and three lieutenants per captain. This meant in total there were supposed to be _90_ warriors! Soldiers were at least double or triple that number. Soldiers really made the bulk of members, but the prospective members were pretty close.

"Trina! Over here!" Jesse motioned for her and she hurried to his side. He was surrounded by a group of people, of which included Vivian, Tiffany and Roger. She saw him wearing his black ring for the first time on his ring finger. The gang members scattered throughout the house watched her eagerly. "The woman of the hour. Everyone's here for you."

"R-Really? _Me?_"

"Of course. We don't have meets like this _every_ time there's a promotion." Her heart skipped like a record as she looked to the people surrounding her. She felt special, and she didn't know why. "You're actually getting a double promotion." Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped.

"W-What? Why!"

"Well…" He chuckled and moved his glass of beer up to his lips. "One of the lieutenants has taken a liking to you and seen your work. Discussed it with her captain, and has decided to go ahead and pull you into one of her warrior sects." This meant she impressed someone enough to earn enough respect? Who? "Davis and I approved it, so here's your official ring…" He held up a deep forest green colored ring that seemed to shimmer in the light. She gasped in awe and took it with pride and a strange sense of honor. "Congratulations, _Katrina_. It's good to have you in the group. Also, now that you're a warrior, that means you can command any soldier…"

"Thank you Jesse, thank you."

"Oh don't thank me, thank the lieutenant you impressed." She watched him pat Tiffany on the back. Her eyes drifted to the girl's hand, and much to her shock, she saw a deep blue ring on her middle finger. Standing beside her, Vivian and Roger were both wearing _red_ rings!

"Oh my god, you're kidding? You two are captains? Tiffany's a-" She looked up to Tiffany's eyes and the girl hugged her, laughing for joy. When they separated, she looked to Roger and Vivian, curious which one of them Tiffany was under, or if she was under a third captain. "So…who is your captain, Tiffany?"

"Right here," Vivian raised her hand and reached over, giving Trina a brisk hug. She was amazed and overjoyed, but also overcoming the shock of realization. "You did good last night, and Tiffany did tell me what you did with Beck…that impressed her. I was impressed with your moves when you were dealing with Andre, and I'm glad that you can stare down Beck of the Scrapperz without flinching."

"Well. It's easy when you've dealt with the guy for several years, you know."

"I suppose so." Vivian looked to Jesse for a minute. "Did Jesse explain to you the ranks? You understand: Black-boss, gold-underboss, red-captain, blue-lieutenant, green-warrior, and silver for soldiers?"

"Yeah. I mean there are other details that are a bit confusing to me, but I definitely understand." She looked around at the hands of the surrounding members. She saw a third red ring on a skinny looking man with a sandy brown comb over hairstyle and blue eyes. There were nine blue rings including Tiffany's, and several green rings nearby that probably belonged to Tiffany's sectors. "So, who are the other lieutenants? Do I answer to them?"

"You mainly answer to me," Tiffany replied, "Or Vivian. Roger and Andrew are the other captains, if they tell you something, you want to answer to them too." Roger waved and Tiffany pointed to the skinny man with the red ring. He flashed a smile and nodded at her. "If the other two lieutenants under Vivian-that's Jared and Travis-ask you to do something, you'll want to listen to them since they _are_ higher up, but usually they won't ask anything."

"Oh. Who are they?" Tiffany pointed them out and they shook her hand. Jared was a couple inches taller than she was, had glasses and spiky blonde hair. He was average sized and had braces. He looked to be about twenty-five. Travis had a beige cowboy hat, a round face and a brown mullet. He wore a button up shirt with brown pants and cowboy boots. "Good to meet you guys."

"Same to you," Jared replied. Three other lieutenants greeted her with the same amount of respect. They introduced themselves as Andrew's lieutenants. Rachel, a buxom brunette with long wavy hair. Drake, and Jacob. Roger then introduced his own lieutenants. She was surprised to see the woman from the bar there with a blue ring. Yvonne was her name, and she was also one of the people that had been at the school on the first night. Raven was Roger's girlfriend, she had jet black hair and a cheerful expression. John was the silent guy on Roger's group.

"All right, you've met the most of them," Jesse walked over and put his hand to her shoulder. He pointed his other hand to a muscular man that was walking towards them. He was tall, dark and bald. He looked to be in his late twenties. "This is Davis. The Gold knight, my general and underboss."

"Hi," Davis gave her a smile and nodded to her. "Good to meet you, Katrina. I've heard interesting things about you."

"Thank you."

"Now are we all introduced?" Jesse asked. The others nodded and he crossed his arms. "Okay. Trina. The ranking system. Green listens to everyone above them, that's obvious, and you command the soldiers while working at the same level of respect with your sector of warriors. You listen primarily to Tiffany, more than the other two lieutenants. You don't have to worry about the other Lieutenants on any of the other captain's team. You worry primarily about Tiffany. Vivian is also your next step and chief commanding officer, what she says will generally hold more impact than Roger or Andrew. After that, Davis. _Everyone_ listens to Davis or myself. Whatever we tell someone, they do, of course…there's some moral instinct, we're not going to force you to do anything you don't want to do if you have good reason for not doing it."

"That's right," Davis agreed with a frown, "We don't want to sink to the level of those Scrapperz. Jesse tells me you've met one already?"

"Beck," she nodded, "I've known Beck for a few years now. He…dates one of my sister's friends." Davis groaned and Trina shook her head. "I know. I don't like it, don't approve, and neither does Tori."

"You need to keep those damn Scrapperz away from your sister. What about his girlfriend? Is she good?"

"She's trying to get away from him. She's not affiliated with any gang and handles herself, but he's got her so tightly wound around his finger that she can't get away." She sat at the kitchen table and looked up to Jesse. "So, what did you find out with the leaders? I'm guessing that's the other part for this big meeting?"

"Yes. I do have that announcement, and I will need to explain something to you Trina." He made his way to the table while the other members of the gang gathered around to listen to him. "There are two different kind of wars. Okay? Turf war, and then there's a gang war."

"Okay?" So what was the difference? If she had to guess, he'd say the turf war was a shorter war. "Gang war is longer?"

"Yes. See a turf war is just fighting over territory and typically ends when the one leading the assault is either dead or concedes. In which case the defending or attacking turf is victorious. Usually these wars are restricted to a small location. The losing team acknowledges defeat and give up their territory-or the assault."

"And the gang wars?"

"Those can last anywhere from days to months. Sometimes there are allying gangs and sometimes it stays just between two. The gang war can go on until either one gang is completely wiped out or there is an agreement formed between the warring gangs. Sometimes no peace arrangement can be made, or a refused, and if all gangs go against one…the gang war will go on until that one is either completely wiped out or disbanded." Trina rubbed her wrist and stared down at her hand on the table. What was Jesse's point? Were they about to go to war? "I want you to understand that because we may very well be on the brink of a citywide struggle against the Scrapperz."

"Really?"

"Yes. We've stated that if they make any malicious attack on one of the other gangs, any grievance at all, we will proceed to strike. The ball is in their court now, and it's really their third in command that is the problem…"

"Beck." She breathed in slowly and closed her eyes. "I see."

"We don't _want_ a war, but it may be a necessary means to an end. In other words, try to just leave him alone if you can. If he lashes out at you, or any Knight, then a war will break out. Period. There's no more tolerance left for the Scrapperz."

"I understand." She opened her eyes and smiled back at Jesse, nodding her head. "I won't antagonize him."

"Good. However, please do keep watch on him. Since he _is_ your sister's friend, that means you can watch. Not to mention, we're counting your sister as important too. You feel he's a danger or threat to her, if he does anything to her, it will also start a war."

She understood this more than anything else, and it was a mission she could handle. Unfortunately it might mean having to stay at the Vega house sometimes, or purposely doing that whenever Beck was near, but she could. "You realize how difficult it would be for me not to retaliate if he were to do something to her?"

"Not asking you not to react. Obviously if he did, he would have already started the process and is therefore…fair game." Her lips curled into a broad smirk and she quickly accepted the standard. Beck was now going to be under heavy watch.

"Then I'll be watching him. What happens if a war starts? Obviously there's going to be a lot of stuff going on…I'd like to think we could get Jade out of here."

"We'll work on that," Tiffany replied, "If it comes to war we will try to keep the innocent out of harm's way. That includes Jade since she is not affiliated with the Scrapperz in any way other than the girlfriend of a gang member."

"Sounds great. I'm ready for whatever comes our way. At least, I can prepare." Prepare she would. She'd do anything and everything she could to be the best she could be.

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Thought I'd give you two since the chapters were kind of connected. So we know the Scrapperz are starting to cause trouble. If a citywide gang war erupts, it could be potentially catastrophic for everyone. But of course _someone_ within the Scrapperz high ranks will probably do something very stupid. It's coming.


	13. Making a Drug Run

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

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Chapter 13 (Making a Drug Run)

"Sinjin…" Music drifted to Trina's ears as she stood in Sinjin's embrace, dancing in the smoke filled club. His warm arms soothed her aching heart as she gazed into his soft, gentle eyes. Her voice was but a whisper and her wrists overlapped around his neck. "Never let me go, Sinji…Stay with me."

"I want to," He whispered back, his voice was as deep as the soothing melody that surrounded them. She moved her head to rest beneath his chin and closed her eyes, listening to the heartbeat beneath his firm chest. She curled her fingers into her palm and breathed in slowly.

"You can stay, and we'll stay like this forever. Just you, me, and nothing between us." She looked up once more, her heart racing as she studied him. There was a distance in his eyes, but his love remained. Trina moved to her toes and reached up, gently kissing his lips. "You wouldn't leave me behind?"

"Never. I will always be here, waiting for you."

"Waiting? But we are together…That's all that matters…" She swayed to the right, moving her hips along with the music. As they danced, she could swear Sinjin was singing Frank Sinatra's rendition of _Only the Lonely_. She closed her eyes as tears drenched her cheekbones.

_Each place I go, only the lonely go…Some little small café. The songs I know only the lonely know. Each melody recalls a love that used to be…the dreams I dream. Only the lonely dream of lips as warm as May._

Trina's heart pounded against her ribs and a sob left her lips as her tears dripped from her chin. She felt his caress on her cheek and began to tremble as she moved herself closer to his chest.

_ That hopeless scheme only the lonely scheme, that soon, somewhere, you'll find the one that used to care, and you recall each fun time. Those picnics at the beach…when love was new. It well could be one time, a hopeless little dream that comes true. If you find love, hang on to each caress, and never let love go…for when it's gone, you'll know the loneliness. The heartbreak…only the lonely…know… _

"Please don't sing that song, Sinji…please…I can't-I can't lose you. I need you. Without you…" Her hands slid back onto his chest and she let out a wavering whimper, shaking violently. "I love you. I love you…"

"I'll always be with you. Waiting for you to come back to me…"

"I'm right here. I…" She gasped out as his body began to fade. A horn sounded out from the middle of nowhere, ripping through her vision. "No! No! _NO!"_

Trina sat upright, finding herself in a heavy sweat. She was back in the bedroom in Jesse's mansion, and out the window she could see below Tiffany's car parked. Trina's heart was racing and her cheeks were wet with tears. "Just…a dream…"

"You all right there?" Tiffany's voice startled her. She snapped her gaze over and frowned at the woman standing by the door. "You were pretty out of it…" Tiffany walked over and sat beside her, setting a gentle hand on Trina's knee. "It's going to be okay."

"No, it's not. I…I can't keep having these dreams." She wiped her eyes and moved her hand to her stomach, covering what felt like a sharp stabbing pain in the gut. "I need to move on." She clenched her eyes and swallowed the saliva forming in her mouth. "Did you need something, Tiff?"

"Yes. It's um…it's time for you to handle a job." Trina meshed her brows together and slowly nodded her head. She wasn't going to question it, she'd do whatever she needed. "It's a drug run." Her eyes widened as visions of car chases shot through her head.

"A _what?"_

"Well, those aren't difficult." Tiffany moved her hand away and looked at the window. "We got some cocaine off the black market and need to distribute it to the smaller gangs out there. "You've been promoted recently, so I need to really show you the ropes here. Aside from the assassin, this is your first real mission." She frowned and stood up, walking over to the window and gazing down at the car.

"So who's driving?"

"Just one of the soldiers. We'll be in the back, in case there are any problems during transport. There shouldn't be, but with tension between gangs like the Scrapperz, you never know."

"Who are we transporting to? Not Cravens or El Sangre? Obviously not Scrapperz.'

"No this is a smaller LA gang, the _Eighth Street Regime_. They're trying to make it in LA, so they need something to sell. We will get a cut of their profits if everything runs smoothly."

"And the…drugs?"

"They're in the trunk."

"Got it." She pushed away the discomfort and moved to the closet. She had to push out her dream from memory, but it was difficult to do so. "Is there anything else on the agenda today?"

"No. Just a quick run across town. If you'd like, we can shoot some darts, maybe head to the bowling lanes afterwards?"

"That would be great. Jesse think I'm ready for this?" Tiffany laughed and brushed off the question.

"Jesse honestly thinks you're ready but probably would rather you not go out there right now. He can deal. Now when we get to the location, we tend to always have this happen: They're going to offer you to snort, inject, or whatever they want to do with the drugs. You don't have to accept, I never do."

"Sounds fair." She wouldn't want to do any drugs anyway, so it was better this way. "Just let me get dressed and I'll be right down." Tiffany nodded and left the room. Trina relaxed her muscles and sat on the bed, taking a deep breath as she let her eyes drift up to the ceiling. "Sinjin…" She knew this would break his heart if he saw, but he was no longer around. "I am nothing without you. I have nothing. This life is all I have now." She closed her eyes, feeling a sting of disappointment and sorrow. "I know, but I have nothing else. No other alternative. It's either this, or death." Why shouldn't she embrace death? Why shouldn't she be brought closer to Sinjin? "I will always…love you." There was a small bit of happiness she had in this gang. Wouldn't he want her to be happy? Wouldn't he want her not to be moping about his death? At least this way, she had something to do with her life rather than sit around crying every single day.

As soon as she was done getting dressed, Trina and Tiffany made their way to the car and were on the road. She didn't want to ask how many pounds of cocaine was in the trunk, though it was tempting to know.

She sat on the right side and Tiffany on the left. Trina examined the gun in her hand, tightening her grip on the handle as she questioned whether she'd actually have to use it. It was an UZI machine gun, something she'd never fired before in her life. "Do you guys…you also deal in illegal weapons, right?"

"Yes."

"So you'd have the big guns? Like rocket launchers, grenades?"

"We could, but there's no use to use them unless we want to literally destroy the city."

"I see. How often do leaders do stuff? Like when would Davis, or Vivian go out to do a job? As well as Jesse?"

"Not often. The higher up you go the more you have to pay attention to finances and other dealings. There are occasions, like the other night, where a leader might go out into the field. Typically the high ups in a gang will let the lower tiers do a job, because it's easier to replace the lower tiers if something happens to someone. It's a process to replace a higher tier. So you wouldn't typically see Vivian, Andrew, Roger, Davis or even Jesse going out and doing a job. Things would have to be pretty serious if one of them went out to finish a job."

It was a little bit of good news, but still confusing as it seemed like Beck in his gang always went out on the field. "In the Scrapperz, Beck's the one doing most of the work, so…why doesn't the rule apply?"

"It does. At the same time a gang leader or even the underboss and their captains can do whatever they want. If they want to do a drug run or deal out on the streets, they can. If they want to send a soldier out to perform an assassination, they can."

"Still seems rough." She looked out the window as a police car passed them in the oncoming lane. Her breath hitched and locked in the throat. "Tiffany. What are the chances of getting stopped by the police during a drug run?"

"So long as you obey all the driving laws and do nothing suspicious, you won't get flagged down." That made sense, so why did she seem nervous? There was a growing pit in her stomach and a heaviness descending upon her.

"Then why am I scared?"

Tiffany chuckled and replied with a nonchalant tone. "Probably because there's so many pounds of coke in the trunk right now, and it's like the first time you've ever had that much in a car."

"Probably." It was a quiet drive through the city of LA. She was oddly able to detect gang members as they drove, both fellow and other gangs patrolling the streets. They were soldiers, wearing the colors and trying to gain the respect of their higher ups.

When they passed the police station, she ducked down because her father was walking out of the station and looking right at the car as it drove by. The driver waved at him, and David waved back. Trina reached up and smacked the driver's arm, telling him not to wave at the man. "You want to get us caught by my_ dad?!"_

Tiffany laughed and glanced at her teasingly, "Don't want daddy to see his little girl living the life of crime, huh?" Trina rolled her eyes and started to pout, but her pout grew to an eventual smirk.

"Well, daddy dearest might attack anyone that influences either of his little girls, so we might not want to get his rage coming down on the gang. Right?"

"Oh definitely not."

Their drive continued in silence as Trina studied the trees passing by. Her brow furrowed and she looked over to Tiffany. The woman was gazing out of her own window with a soft and profound expression. She was holding her gun in her lap and studying people outside intently. Trina wondered what her story was, and why she was really a part of the gang, but wasn't sure if it would be right to ask. She knew it had to do with family, but that was it.

"Tiffany? Have there ever been any fights with the police before?"

"Sometimes, but not frequently. An all out war with the police might not be a good idea. You don't want to piss them off. I guess you could plant gang members into the police, make some corrupt officers and get all the way to the top. Maybe get the police chief himself on your payroll."

"I know enough of my dad to know that he would _never_ accept money from a gang. He's so gung ho about his job that he wouldn't do anything to jeopardize that. He's not one to accept bribes, but I would like to see him rise up to being the Chief of Police one day…it's like his fucking dream job."

"You don't actually sound happy about that."

"It's because he's a workaholic. He's never had time to spend with his daughters. He's always got a headache, always working, always stressed…and it pisses me off."

"I am truly sorry to hear that, Trina."

"Yeah…You know Tori wants to be a police officer now." She changed the subject, and with that change came a sense of pride. Tiffany smiled at her. "She actually wants to be a full-fledged detective. So does Jade, apparently."

"Jade. She's the one dating Beck?"

"Yeah."

"Oh…" When Tiffany bowed her head, Trina felt a deep sorrow clutch her. Concern swept her away and Tiffany raised her gaze back up. "You know, I've seen women in that situation. It never ends well…Jade's been wanting to get away from him, right? He may not want to let her go and it might kill her." Fear stabbed her and she quickly shook her head.

"No…That can't happen." She put her hand to her chest, raising her voice slightly. "My sister needs her. I mean hell, _I'm_ in a gang now, so all my sister really has if something happens to me is dad-and he's not that good of a person. Mom's literally shoving her affair in our faces, Dad's a workaholic, and almost all of their friends are dicks! Jade's the only friend Tori has left, and Sinjin used to be a good friend to her too, she can't lose Jade. She could lose Beck, she could lose Andre or Robbie…"

"I don't know what we can possibly do right now, Trina.

"Get her the fuck away from Beck?"

"How. How would you propose we do that without him realizing?"

"I don't know, but I bet you I can think of something."

"If you do, let me know."

She'd put out a hit on Beck if she could, but killing him right now would just plunge the gangs into a war because the Scrapperz would retaliate for a death of their own. She had to be careful with what she did at this point, but one thing was certain, she would be watching him closely from now on.

They arrived at the location and Trina rolled down her window at Tiffany's urging. She was to watch the driver and listen in to see how a deal was to be made. "You might be making these deals on your own sometimes. I know you probably don't want to, but that's just the way these things work."

"Right." The deal didn't go down badly, and a few of the gang members came out to start transporting the coke from the trunk. "I guess we keep some of that?"

"Yes. They didn't buy it all, and all of that was bought off the black market. We'll have to put it in one of the drug warehouses."

"Okay…" She looked down the street and saw Robbie in the distance with Rex. Her mind traveled back to his many pranks or statements that he used Rex for. Tiffany followed her narrowed glare and asked about him. "Robbie and his little puppet. He calls it Rex…I'm thinking I'd like to try something later…"

"Trina?" A warning wavered in Tiffany's voice, she could see where Trina's mind was going. When the driver entered back into the car after the gang removed all the coke they needed, she instructed him to begin driving to the warehouse. "All right, we're just going to unload, then head back to the mansion."

Perhaps she could seek one of her soldiers out for a job, it would be nice practice to assign jobs. That would be for another time, though. Now, she was just happy to be done with the drugs. "Sounds good to me."

Later that night as Robbie tossed in his bed, he clung to his puppet like a child and his toy. His mind was filled with peculiar dreams keeping him from falling into a good slumber.

His bed was positioned directly beside the four paned, glass window. A car could be heard screeching down the road, causing his eyes to shoot open. "What was that, Rex?" He looked down to the puppet and started to smile. "Yeah you're right, just my imagina-"

Suddenly a rock crashed through the window and slammed into his arm. He screamed out as glass shards spilled out onto his bed, barely scratching him. Robbie twisted up and looked out the window, whimpering as he tried to see who did it, but he couldn't make out any one at all. His heart began to race and his muscles tensed up as he turned his attention to the rock.

There was a note tied with a small rope. As he picked up the stone and read the note, a sudden whimper dripped from his lips. His body shuddered and his hand clutched Rex's arm. "Who would do this?" Tears of fright drenched down his eyes as he tore the note to shreds and threw it in the waste basket, just figuring it to be a prank of some sort, but he would not be getting any sleep now.

_"The Puppet will die."_

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Nice little chat, thought I'd let the readers get to know Tiffany a little bit. Quite a bit was discussed this chapter, but it's just another one of the many things gangs have to do. At least Trina didn't have to personally touch the stuff. Little tidbit at the end, just someone trying to scare Robbie. Maybe XD


	14. Growing Tensions

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

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Chapter 14 (Growing Tensions)

Over the next month, Trina began to harden as she did more jobs for Tiffany, Vivian, and even Davis. When she wasn't doing jobs, which wasn't often that she did have to do a job, she would relax either at the mansion or with Tori. She kept a close eye on Tori's friends throughout, and was grateful that Beck hadn't done anything as far as gang activity went.

She was on the couch while Tori finished some homework with Jade at the table. The other friends were supposedly coming over, to which Trina was looking forward to seeing them so she could see just how affected they were by all that had been going on lately. She'd had some of her soldiers provide threats to both Andre and Robbie, and they'd not told anybody about the threats yet. Though she could feel it, they were scared, or at least Robbie was.

Her eyes tore away from the television when the door flew open and the three men walked into the house. "They're not done with homework yet," Trina announced. Beck shrugged his shoulders and Andre walked over to the table. "Andre, don't bother them right now, please." He brushed her off and sat down anyway. Trina narrowed her eyes as Jade and Tori looked up, scowling at him.

"We're busy!" Jade snapped. "We can play poker after this." Tori and Jade were at the point of usually offering Trina a chance to play the game. She played card games quite a bit with the Knights, so she'd picked up on a few tricks of the trade. She'd play on occasion with Jade and Tori, but more often she preferred not having to do so.

"Sorry," Andre lifted his hands in defeat and looked down to the papers. "So working on crime stuff." Jade rolled her eyes and ignored him so she could focus.

"Dad is letting me review some of his cases," Tori replied while writing down an answer. "For crime organization class, he's letting me review some of the gangs he's been brushing up on. Like the Scrapperz and the Black Knights." Trina glanced over her shoulder, then trailed her eyes to Beck, who was watching with a subtle frown.

"Andre, maybe let them work?" She asked, still attempting to be polite. She tensed as he shot her a glare and continued to ignore her. Her shoulders rose and her cheeks filled with air that she blew from her lungs. It was taking everything in her not to jump up and smack him around again.

Beck went over to the table and sat next to Jade, then placed his arm around her shoulder. Trina studied him, watching as he pointed to the paper and asked about something. Robbie sat next to Trina on the couch, much to her irritation. She hung her elbow off the couch and buried her fingers into her hair as her eyes drifted over to the puppet in Robbie's lap.

"You're still carrying that thing around, huh Robbie?"

"He's not a 'thing'."

"It is a puppet, and something is wrong with your head. Are you on drugs?"

"No!"

"Sure as hell seems like it."

Robbie moaned and gestured to the television. "What are you watching?"

"What's it look like?" It was the five o'clock local news. A lot of her handiwork was on, but the city couldn't figure out that the Knights were responsible for anything. She had to do a couple assassinations, and was learning from the best in regards to that. Her more recent fall into crime was currently being talked about.

"Looks like the news."

She rolled her eyes and looked at him scornfully, "Then it is probably the news."

The reporter this time was a man with shaggy brown hair and a mustache, and he was reporting on a stolen vehicle. _"Last night a four door 2013 Nissan Sentra went missing from the dealership lot. Police believe whoever committed the theft may have hotwired the vehicle after turning off the security cameras. A possible suspect that police are reviewing is a disgruntled employee that was fired recently for taking a car off the lot without permission."_

Trina lifted her eyebrows as Robbie tilted his head. She heard Rex comment about the burglar getting lucky. She turned her eyes to the puppet and worked to swallow the urge to make a snide remark in return. "I wonder why someone would steal a car from a dealer lot," Robbie inquired. "They must not have had good security."

"Hope they find the car soon," Trina assured him. She didn't expect it to be found, at least not in this state. A member of a the gang had a fit of kleptomania and wanted the car, so she took pity upon him and went onto the lot.

It was not too difficult once she knocked out the guards and got inside to kill the cameras. When she got the car, she did indeed hotwire it after taking all the necessary precautions to make sure the car wouldn't be tracked. She drove it off the lot and into a nearby spray shop owned by the gang, had the car repainted for the gang member, and drove it to him. Of course, she urged him, next time it would be easier if he just took a car from a damned parking lot.

Over the month, she'd been participating in petty crimes, just to get her practice up. These included stealing a purse from a mall, or vandalizing Mrs. Lee's sushi store. These crimes were just an attempt for her to do something that would help her forget losing Sinjin, but they didn't. He was still on her mind even now, but she was trying so hard to distance herself from the woman she used to be, because she felt that woman was weak. She felt the way she'd been before would never survive, and this life was the only way she was able to stay afloat.

She had been watching some of the other gangs to keep up with what was going on around her. The Scrapperz lost their second in command, Quentin, when he stupidly got into a fight with the police. He vandalized a police car and started firing shots at them, they fired back, and one of the bullets struck him in the neck. One of the four lieutenants of the Scrapperz was also dead, he'd been found dead in a car crash. William drove off a bridge, and alcohol had been found in his system.

Beck now moved to the second-in-command, but no one has replaced him yet. The Scrapperz still needed to review Lewis, Paul and Parker while finding someone to replace William.

Trina shifted a glare to Beck, making eye contact with him and narrowing her eyes. She'd been wanting Jesse to go ahead and start a war, because this would be a perfect time to strike them while they're down a captain and down a lieutenant.

As Beck smiled at her, she curdled with disgust, but retained a smile of her own. She knew he'd been watching her lately as well, as if he suspected her of something. Could he know that she was part of the Knights? She kept her ring in a safe location in the mansion, wearing it only when it was required, so he'd never seen her with it on. She watched him glance past her, then frown at the screen. "Whoa," she heard Robbie exclaim. Her attention was drawn back to the television and her eyebrows shot up.

A shirtless man with spiky brown hair was being led away by police officers, shown in a _Breaking News_ segment in regards to gang activity. She recognized the man from pictures shown to her of the Scrapperz gang members, it was Paul. One of the lieutenants. "This just in," the reporter announced, "Several men alleged to be connected to the Scrapperz gang leaders has been arrested when police raided one of the Scrapperz hangouts. The men were found with a variety of drugs in their possession."

Paul put his hand up in front of the camera, trying to cover his face, but it was no use. She smirked coyly as the lieutenant was led away from the building. "One of the men, Paul Sloutz was wanted for the murder of prostitute Miranda Dowsen earlier this year." An image of the woman appeared on screen and Trina resisted a triumphant shout. One of the lieutenants going to prison was great!

When a gang member goes to prison, the higher they are, the more likely they are to retain their position. If the boss, or underboss goes to prison they do not get demoted, the same is said of the next two tiers. For the Scrapperz, this meant that Paul would retain his position as he finished out his sentence.

With Paul incapacitated and William dead, that left Beck without his two direct lieutenants. Lewis and Parker were Quentin's lieutenants. Granted, Beck was still in charge of them, but it weakened him tremendously. "They've really been cracking down on those Scrapperz lately," Trina remarked with astounding curiosity and an eagerness to get a rise from Beck. Tori lifted her head from the textbook and nodded.

"Yeah! Dad says he's been trying to make an effort to put a stop to the gang activity. At least with the Scrapperz, because they're the ones going around and doing more things, so he's really been targeting them." Tori closed her textbook and Trina raised an eyebrow at her, concerned that she might not be finished with her homework yet. "I'm done, finally!" She stretched her arms out and turned around in her chair, hanging her elbow over the top. "So Trina, Dad says they've already arrested a lot of gang members associated with the Scrapperz. He's got this big bust planned."

"Really?" Beck inquired. Trina winced and rose from the couch. "What's he planning? A raid or something?"

"It's probably nothing," Trina remarked. She made her way to the stairs and looked over her shoulder. "Tori, I have something I've been meaning to ask you. It's um-it's about this guy at my college-he thinks he may know you." Tori leaned back as Beck snapped his eyes to Trina.

"Really? Did he give a name?" The girl hurried over and followed Trina up the stairs. "Who's the guy?"

"No guy Tori, I'm sorry." Tori slouched and sighed as Trina led her into the bedroom. Once she checked to make sure Beck and the others weren't following her up, she shut the door and leaned against it. "Tori, don't talk about the Scrapperz around Beck."

"Why? Because he's a part of them?"

"Yes, exactly." Tori whined and looked over at the door, sighing under her breath.

"Oh…I thought maybe if he knew Dad was cracking down on that particular gang, he might leave the Scrapperz before he gets caught. I really don't want to point him out to Dad, but I will if I have to…"

"Do nothing when it comes to Beck. He's a dangerous man…"

"How do you know?"

"He's made threats." Trina paused the minute the words came out. This was the wrong thing to say to her sister, especially with how sensitive she was to her friends treating her older sister harshly.

"What?!" Tori became enraged and began for the door. Trina jumped in front of her and Tori hung back, narrowing her eyes. "Out of my way. If Beck threatened you-"

"No! He didn't do anything like that." Tori frowned and looked up to Trina with a mournful glance. "Just trust me on this. Ask Jade if she thinks he's dangerous, and she'll probably give you an honest answer. Still don't know why you're letting him come around, though…"

"Well, he and Andre-Robbie too I guess…they're just always around." She saw her sister avert her gaze and felt a violent rush of anger and curiosity shoot through her.

"What's with the aversion in your tone? Tori?" Tori moaned and rubbed her arm.

"It's nothing."

"Tori, talk to me." Tori walked over to her bed and sat down. "What's wrong with the three men? Aside from the obvious in regards to Beck." Tori chuckled nervously and shrugged her shoulders as Trina leaned up against the door.

"They've been getting possessive. Robbie's making more and more cracks with his puppet, Andre's aggression is getting away from his grandmother and now he's been yelling a lot at people, including me and Jade." Trina flinched and slowly looked over her shoulder. A growl simmered out in her throat as her body began to heat up. "Beck, well we know he's possessive of Jade. I think Andre and Robbie are kind of being influenced by Beck's behavior."

"Have they touched you, Tori?"

"No, nothing like that I swear, it's just…well Jade and I can't really stop being friends with them because we're kind of afraid of them. I don't know. I figure if I just keep being patient, maybe pray a little, something good will come out of all this."

"Prayer? You honestly think _prayer_ is going to stop them from being possessive and aggressive?" Tori wasn't one to be naïve, at least not anymore, but this was naïve at its best! She was furious and wanted to punch a hole through the wall, but she wasn't going to do that. Not in front of her little sister, at least. Tori looked up to her with wide eyes and lifted a hand up. "Tell Dad, tell _someone_ about them being jackasses."

"Don't get mad at them, Trina. And I did, I'm telling you…I just, I don't know what to do, Trina. Jade and I, we're at a kind of rocky place in regards to them." Tori took a deep breath and gripped the edge of her bed, looking up with a slight smile as Trina crossed her arms. "Besides. If Beck's still a part of the Scrapperz and Dad's going after them, he'll get Beck eventually, right? I mean…Dad never has time to talk, so I can never get to him. Believe me, I've tried. He puts himself more into his work the more mom screws around with Gary! Trina, I can't talk to anyone."

Trina loosened up and sat down beside Tori, reaching around her shoulders and pulling her into a close hug. "It's okay baby sister. Hang in there…"

"It'll be fine, Trina. It's not like they've done anything. At most, Robbie just uses his puppet to hit on me. Andre hasn't gotten violent, he just yells when he gets frustrated. Beck's not really acting any different lately, just quiet and elusive. I don't think it's that big of a deal."

Trina looked to the door as Tori set her head to Trina's shoulder and closed her eyes. "Okay, so maybe it's not." She narrowed her eyes, imagining all the things she wanted to do to the men downstairs. "But if it does become worse, if they become violent. Let me know if you can't talk to Dad about it. I'm sure Dad would act, or even Mom if she wasn't so damned busy screwing around with Gary." She pat Tori's arm and moved her chin on top of her sister's head. "Why didn't you tell me about this before?"

"I just didn't want you to yell at them. I don't want them to yell back or get violent with you if they are at that point. I don't want you hurt, Trina…and I don't want them hurting you."

"I understand." She kissed Tori's head and stood up, smiling warmly at her. "Come on. Let's get down there. I will…remain cordial with them."

"Thanks, Trina."

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Yeah I don't think cordial is going to work out very long. Especially since one of the three men is on thin ice as it is. Though it should be said due to position and power, Beck's _probably_ going to be alive a while. Although his interactions with Trina and the others will not be much longer, since he will go into hiding. Other gangs will also become an issue. But about this chapter, it must be pretty hard for Trina to hear that from her sister and not go tearing heads. Your thoughts?


	15. History Behind His Mystery

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N: A tad early but I have a doc's appointment today. Got a question for you at the end of this chapter.

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Chapter 14 (History Behind His Mystery)

While training behind the mansion, Trina demolished several targets with her martial arts expertise. She twisted around and delivered a back kick into a target attached above head level on a nearby tree, then she performed a backflip towards the fence, slowly stood up, and dealt a swift back fist to the round target. Her eyes drifted to a standing mannequin towards the center of the yard. With swift dexterity, she pulled a pistol from the holster on her hip and fired three shots, two of which struck the mannequin in the chest and shoulder while one missed and blasted off a metal pole nearby.

She holstered the gun and charged for the mannequin, letting out a fierce yell as she jumped off with her left foot and kicked her right foot out, striking the chest. She landed in squat position and delivered two sharp knife-hand strikes to the neck, leaned back and performed a roundhouse kick to the head. As her leg made its way back to the ground, she put her palms to the floor and swept her second leg up, striking the head once more.

"Not bad!" Jesse's voice called out from the patio. Trina jumped up in fright, not expecting her training to be interrupted. She breathed heavily and turned to Jesse, raising her eyebrow as he stepped into the yard. "I thought you'd be out here. Have I mentioned you're an impressive fighter?"

"Yes." He tossed her a towel and she wiped the sweat from her face and neck. "Have I mentioned I don't like to be interrupted when I'm training? It takes my focus away."

"About a million times."

"Well now it's a million and one." She crossed her arms and smirked at him. "You know, Sinjin never respected my training either. He did, but he'd always interrupt me." She walked towards him and swept her bangs away from her eyes. "So what's up? Just want to chat or something?" They walked to a table on the back patio.

"Tiffany called, wants to know if you'd like to shoot some darts later."

"Of course. You should come too."

"Nah."

"Not like you have anything better to do. You're always sitting around the mansion watching TV or monitoring all the finances for the gang and everything. We have a treasurer that handles that for a reason. You're the boss, you've earned some kickbacks." It was something she always wondered about, why Jesse never went out much or talked about himself very often. He was a very private man.

"I'd go out if I felt like it, most of the time I enjoy just lazing around I suppose. Or checking out my business."

"I still think you should take time to yourself for once."

"I do. Usually." He scratched at his neck and set his right elbow on the table as he studied the clouds in the distance. Trina mimicked his pose and looked out as well, smiling at the various shapes rolling on by. "Peaceful out here. Quiet, calm…" Trina looked back at him. His strong chest rose with his breath, and the sun glistened off his forehead and sharp nose. The shirt he wore was short sleeved. A gust of wind blew his sleeve up just enough to reveal an old scar. Trina was perplexed, figuring it to be an old battle scar. He glanced out of the corner of his eyes and she quickly looked away. "So you never told me how your visit with your sister went yesterday."

"Fine. Beck and his goons, as I now call them, showed up. Tori told me they're starting to behave worse around her and Jade now, not letting them end the friendship or anything like that." Jesse frowned and looked away.

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised they're getting more and more dangerous. Has Beck done anything yet?"

"No, but I get to feeling like the time's coming." She leaned back and sucked in a large breath of air. "I think now's the time to let the other gangs initiate war." She turned and leaned over the table, clasping her hands together over the center. He turned his head slightly, looking into her determined eyes. She studied his gaze closely, trying to read him. There was some emotion in them, but she couldn't make it out, a hint of sadness in his strong, impassioned orbs. "The longer we wait, the more we risk something bad happening, Jesse. I don't understand why we have to wait for the Scrapperz to make their move!" He frowned and turned to face her, holding his hands together as well as he leaned forward. "Explain it to me, Jesse. Explain to me why we have to wait."

"Because…if a citywide gang war erupts, bad things will happen anyway. You're not understanding the collateral damage that happens. People die, _civilians_ die. Places get blown up and the higher up you are the more likely you and everyone close to you is going to be a _target."_ She leaned back and parted her lips. She watched as two folds formed on Jesse's forehead and his eyebrows meshed together, forming a small wrinkle between them. "We have control over them at this point. They know better than to do something that will start a war, if we start something then it will be on our hands. If they start something, it will be on theirs, and they know this."

"That's why you're not starting anything yet? Collateral damage? What if they do strike, Jesse?"

"Trina. I'll be honest. It isn't completely in my hands either. I can't just walk in to all the other heads and say we need a war, I have to have a valid reason, and 'this person is growing dangerous' isn't exactly a good reason…" She understood now, it wouldn't be accepted too well unless one of the Scrapperz _did _break agreement.

"I see. I got it now. So, it is better to wait."

"Yes." He leaned away and looked back at the clouds. Trina continued to study him, growing more curious by the minuet.

"Jesse? Can I ask something?" He shrugged and she looked down to his calloused hand "Did you ever lose someone?" He raised an eyebrow at her and she looked back up to him. "You never talk about your past, but sometimes it seems like there's something there. There must be a reason you keep yourself cooped up, and you wouldn't get so fired up and passionate about something unless it truly affected you. So what is it, if you don't mind me asking? I know it must be one reason you don't like going to war."

"No one ever wants to go to war, but yes, you're right…" He shrugged. Frown lines deepened around his lips and his eyelids slid down. "I lost two people close to me due to a gang war. One was my uncle." She held her breath and watched as he turned his head downwards some, staring out at the concrete patio. "I was going to a meet and was ambushed, and during all the gunfire, I saw my uncle had followed me out to see what I was up to…This was back when I first started out-one of the rival fighters didn't even see him, and neither did I. Until it was too late."

"What happened?" She felt her heart drop. She didn't think she should be asking about this, but they had lived together for about a month now and knew little about each other's past. She wasn't entitled, but still curious.

"He started running for me, to get me to stop shooting. Probably wanted me to come home. The other guy already fired a shot, and by the time I looked over, he was on the ground. It was then that I also saw children, women, men laying injured in the streets because of the gunfire. Civilians, Trina. Innocent lives…lost…because we were thinking only of killing the other person." She moved her hand over her heart and closed her eyes, bowing her head to give a moment of thought for those people. "You want to know why I stay inside, though? Really want to know?"

"Why?"

"Not long before you showed up, maybe a couple months back, we had a different underboss." He turned towards her, gazing into her eyes and leaning over his hands on the table. She faced him, eager to hear his story. For it might be the only time she heard it with how reserved he was. "She was…just like you in some ways. Strong, beautiful, and an incredible fighter. She was compassionate too. We loved each other, even considered getting out of this life."

"Really?" She lifted her eyebrows up and started to smile. "You had someone that close to you? What happened?" He took a deep breath and shut his eyes. His mouth shut tight and he shook his head.

"About five months ago, we were in a smaller one-on-one war with this small time gang-smaller than the Scrapperz. They were losing. Well…she wanted to go to the theater and watch a movie, since we hadn't had a date in a while. I was hesitant, didn't feel like going out, but went out anyway. When the movie was over and we were walking out…" He stalled for a minute and Trina saw where this was going. She moved her hand out, hesitating for a second, then set her hand gently over his for reassurance. He opened his eyes and stared down at her hand, seemingly peering through it. "There was a drive by, they were gunning for me. They knew I was the boss and thought they could just chop the head off. They got my arm as one of my men pulled me down."

"You had guards posted outside the movie?"

"Yeah, just in case." His voice cracked for a split second and he pulled away. "Sasha was hit though, she was in the open and none of the guards went after her. She didn't see it coming."

"Oh god…Jesse, I-I'm so sorry." She knew better than to approach a tender subject, especially after what happened to her.

"That is why I distance myself from my people, that is why I don't go places with anyone close to me or by myself, since I'd rather no one else get shot if a bullet is meant for me. Anyone around us could easily become a target."

"You can't always be afraid, Jesse. You said it yourself, there's not much excitement in the day to day life of a gang. You're just going to be bored sitting alone at the house all the time…" She cleared her throat and slowly stood from her seat. "So here's the thing. Come with me to meet Tiffany and play some darts. It'll be fun! I know you could use relaxation as much as I can."

"I want to, I really do, but I can't."

"Come on."

He chuckled and pushed himself up, "It's not because I don't want to leave the house. It's because unlike you, I actually _do_ have to go into work today." She'd forgotten his work schedule! How could she have forgot? She practically memorized it just so she'd know when to expect him home or at work.

"Oh. You have hours today. Right."

"Maybe after my shift I'll check on you guys."

"You should. I might talk Tiffany into heading back to the bowling alleys." Trina crossed her arms and huffed as they walked into the house. "Can you believe Tiffany beat me at bowling? I need a rematch!" He laughed and she turned up a smile. "I bet if you can head over to the lanes after work, and we can call up Vivian, we can all play on teams."

"I'll think about it. In the meantime, you and Tiffany have some fun."

"Will do." She walked towards the phone and stopped to look back at Jesse, who was heading into the kitchen. With a smirk she raised her voice a little bit so he could hear her. "But we'd better see you at the lanes later!" He laughed again and waved his hand in the air.

"We'll see what happens. Like I said, I'll think about it."

"Uh huh, yeah, you do that." She picked up the phone and began to dial Tiffany, still smirking and thinking about whether or not she could actually beat Jesse or Vivian at bowling. It was worth looking into.

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What do you think of the chapter? A little insight to Jesse's past (That Sasha is pivotal by the way, note she didn't exist in pariah, there's why Jesse's different XD)

Anyway for that question. I'm nearing the end of writing AL, and I can't exactly wait to post all the way up to the particular point, so you might not get the gravity of this question because quite literally _A LOT _happens in Trina's life and the story between this point and the end point and as always it led me well as I have the ending mapped out. I suppose my question is this: Do you want a tragic or a "happy" ending (although both would equal a lot of pain for certain people involving Tori, Trina, and a young person)


	16. Declaration of War

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

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Chapter 16 (Declaration of War)

"Okay, so you've played darts before, you know the rules." Tiffany handed her three darts. "First through five hundred and one points win. The smaller rectangles are doubles, bullseye is fifty points, outer ring is twenty five. You get points per the number on the board." She looked to the ground as she backed up over the starting line, then glanced up to the board.

"You beat me at other games, including poker, I need something to beat you at." A darts game is all about hand eye coordination, and making sure to hit the proper sections. She was going to aim for twenty, as hitting the direct bullseye would take more proficiency than she had. "I will beat you at this." Tiffany laughed at her and walked beside her.

"Sure you will. You can go first." Trina stepped up to the line and aimed her first dart at the board. She focused on the board, and moved her hand back and forth in preparation, then released. Tiffany whistled as the dart struck the bottom of the 19 marker and bounced off the board.

"Aw come on!" The next two shots were actually on the board, but only totaled up to fifteen points. She retrieved her darts and stepped out of the way to let Tiffany shoot. "Definitely not like shooting off a gun, that's for sure." Tiffany laughed and Trina smirked at her. "You wouldn't beat me, now would you? That just doesn't make any sense. We're friends, you wouldn't beat your friend."

"Stop trying to distract me." Tiffany smirked at her, then narrowed her gaze onto the board. Her first dart sank into the one zone, then the ten, and finally the five. "Hah! Sixteen!" Trina scoffed and smiled, watching as Tiffany retrieved her darts. "You're up, Trina."

"Not going to faze me." As she aimed, she sighted something in the corner of her vision. It was that damned puppet that she'd been meaning to destroy. Only, if Rex was here, then where was Robbie? She lowered her hand and looked around the bar, finally stopping on the bathroom where Robbie was leaving. Her voice lowered to a whisper, "No…What's he doing here?"

"Trina? What's the matter?"

"Robbie."

"Who?"

"One of Tori's friends, he's here." She knew he saw her, because the second she looked at him, he averted his gaze. Tiffany watched the man return to the puppet and whip out his cell phone.

"Just ignore him Trina, this is a eighteen and over club. You can't be surprised to run into someone here."

"I know, I'm just…" She shook her head and swallowed the ominous feeling rising up inside her. Who was he calling? Was he about to tell somebody that she was hanging out at the club? If so, who? She had to know. "He creeps me out."

"He's the one that carries the puppet around?"

"Yeah."

"Then yeah, he freaks me out too. Keep shooting the darts or I'm going to declare victory by default."

"Oh hell no you aren't!" She laughed and returned to the dartboard, eager to win. Her first throw hit the bullseye, to which Tiffany clapped. Her next shot hit the double one, giving her two points. The third shot landed on the twenty. "Hah! Beat that!"

"Okay. I will." Tiffany beamed with confidence and brushed beside her. She aimed her darts and threw her first shot.

As the game went on, Tiffany ended up winning the first round. They decided to go two more rounds and the biggest winner would get dinner on the tab of the other. It ended up that Tiffany wound up winning two out of three rounds, which meant Trina was buying dinner.

"Should we call Vivian and Jesse, see if they want to have dinner at the bowling lanes?" Trina asked.

"I'll call them."

"Great." Trina scanned the club for any signs of Robbie, but the strange little man had slipped out of the building already. She was fine with this, since she honestly didn't want to have to deal with him hanging around her. He didn't need to know what she was up to. "I don't see the douche with the puppet. Let's hope to god he didn't just tell anyone I was here."

"Who would he tell?"

"Beck, Andre, Tori, Jade, Cat, or just about anyone he talks to on a regular basis."

"I'm sure it's fine. Go on out and start the car while I try and convince the others to shoot by the lane." Trina shrugged and made her way outside. They parked oddly, since the entrance to the club was in the back, the parking lot was on the other side and through an alleyway. Ever since she was a girl, she hated alleyways in the dark. In the day, they were fine.

"Well. Here we go." She took a deep breath and started towards the alley, stopping when she saw a figure walking towards her. She tensed and readied herself for the possibility of being jumped, but as the person came closer, it was only Cat's roommate, Sam. Sam waved at her, having spoken with her once or twice. "Sam, how is it going? How's Cat?"

"Good and good. She says you haven't been around much." Sam looked curiously and tilted her head to the right. "As a matter of fact, all those friends are off. Even Cat's been getting freaked out, been wanting to leave with me-"

"Leave? Where are you going?"

"I've been taking online classes over at Baylor University in Texas. That's where my sister's at, our um-our dad's the President of the University. I'd like to start taking classes on the campus next semester, and Cat's been wanting to use that to take classes over there." Trina raised an eyebrow and sunk back as she contemplated the prospect of going to college at Baylor. Not for herself, however.

"Can he get someone to go to school mid semester?"

"Sure…if he said to let them in the school would pretty much have to accept them. It wouldn't be easy to do. Why? Are you thinking about getting in?"

"No, but if the situation presents itself, do you think I could ask if he'd try to pull a few strings?"

"Worth a shot. He's willing to do that for Cat." Sam gave her a suspicious look, then shook her head. "Anyway, I need to head inside. Cat found her way in there and called me to pick her up." Trina jerked her head back and looked towards the building. She'd not seen Cat, but how could she miss a fiery, ditzy redhead like her? "Robbie convinced her to come over here, then disappeared on her when she ran off. Apparently he was creeping her out with the puppet again."

She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, "Wonderful. You have a good night, and I'll be in touch."

"Sure." Sam waved her off and headed inside the building. She thought on Baylor once more and smiled to herself as she contemplated the possibility of sending Tori, or Jade there somehow. If things got bad with the Scrapperz, if things got bad with Beck, would they be bad enough that she'd have to send her sister away? She didn't want to, but if the opportunity presented itself, she may have to.

Trina moved down the alley, stopping every time she heard a sound. On occasion she'd hear what sounded like a can, and in some instances, footsteps. When she checked over her shoulder, she saw no one. Her mind traveled back to what Sam was saying. She'd heard of Baylor, it was one of the better schools in the country. Tori and Jade should be honored to go there.

Halfway through the alley, the moonlight revealed a silhouette in the distance of a man watching her. She froze and took a slight step back as she felt his dark gaze burning into her. "Well, well, well," came the familiar voice. "Who do we have here? At a club and gang hideout no less." She saw a cell phone light up in the man's hand as he peered down to the phone. "And who's this a picture of? One of the Knights Lieutenants? Amazing…"

She recognized his voice and started to tense as he stepped into view. How did he know? Had Robbie ratted her out? "What do you want, Beck?" Beck extended his hands to his sides and stepped within inches of her. She held back from striking him, knowing that if she made the first blow, it would look bad for the gang as he could easily say the Scrapperz did not break the terms of agreement. "How'd you know I was here?" She shivered with nausea as his hot breath fell upon her face. Her heart flared up with hate and anger as she kept her gaze locked with Beck's.

"Robbie was so shocked to see you at a nightclub like this. Seedy bar, pool tables, dart games…a regular hang out for the Black Knights as well."

"Your point, _Beckett_?"

"You're one of them, aren't you?" She narrowed her eyes as Beck began to chuckle. "You're a fucking Black Knight! How in the hell did they nab you?"

"I'm not telling you a damn thing. For all you know I could just be hanging out with a friend."

"A friend? Yes…a 'friend'." He tapped his fingertips together and brought them up to his nose for a second. She let out a low growl and watched him lower his hands. Then, in a move she foresaw but did not expect, Beck slammed a strong fist into her abdomen. Her diaphragm shot up and her she hunched over, gasping for air. "What do you think I am? Stupid?"

Trina clenched her teeth together and sucked air through her teeth, "You must be. You think you can hit me…" She started to rise up, but Beck slammed the back of his fist into her left temple, then followed up with a strong kick to the chest. She let out a shout as her back slammed hard into the wall. Beck then grabbed her wrists and locked them above her head, glaring into her eyes. "Asshole!"

"Look at you. You don't even know what you got yourself into!" He smirked and raised his hand, patting her cheek. "So now I see why you've been acting so tough. You think being in a part of a gang is going to make you better? You think it's going to give you any kind of acceptance?"

"Yes. It's given me more community than you bastards."

"Bastard? Me? No…Not yet. See, my gang is going to bring yours down to size, Vega. That silly little 'agreement' made? Well…who says if a Knight goes missing that it's the Scrapperz fault?"

"Wha-" He grabbed her neck, then violently threw her against the ground. A powerful jolt of pain shot through her body, paralyzing her.

"I wasn't going to bother with you until Robbie sent me this little picture. Then I knew the truth." He stepped at her side and she slowly raised her head, growling angrily. Then a sudden pain shot into her side, causing her body to jolt upwards. Bile shot up her throat as she rolled onto her back, groaning. "Come on Vega, you think you can take me? Maybe you should have taken me when you had the fuckin' chance!"

"Would you seriously kill your friend's sister?"

"Friend? No. Or do you mean Tori?" She narrowed her eyes at him and watched as he removed a gun hidden in his waist. "She won't miss you. As far as I'm concerned, you're just another one of those damned Knights." How could he have become so twisted? What made him so twisted?

As blood trickled from her mouth she struggled to pull herself up, but her body was in too much pain. She began breathing heavily as Beck aimed the gun towards her face. "What made you such an asshole?" He let out a menacing chuckle and pulled the hammer back on the gun.

"You said it yourself once, I've just always been vain. The Scrapperz took me in and they showed me the ropes. Sometimes it's the person, but sometimes it's who you run with. Maybe the gang you fell into isn't as whacked out as the Scrapperz, but guess what? It doesn't matter…You're not Tori's sister to me, you're just another one of those damned knights, but if it means anything to you…" He started to lick his lips and narrow his eyes at her, "I'll console her when I bend her over and give it to her the hard way." Trina's eyes widened as her rage shot out.

"Y-You bastard!" She began to push herself over, surging with adrenaline, then started to push herself up. "I'll kill you. You, Andre, Robbie, the whole lot of you! If you touch my sister, you're fucking dead, Beckett!" He laughed at her, then slammed his foot into her head, sending her body bouncing on the ground. She cried out and grabbed her arm as it flared up with pain.

"You're not in the position to be making threats." He aimed his gun towards her head and tilted his head to the right. "See you in hell, bitch."

"Trina!" Tiffany's voice startled her, and Beck pulled his gun away, cursing under his breath. "Back off her now!" Tiffany ran for Beck, tackling him to the ground. Trina reached out for her, wanting Tiffany to stop before she got hurt. Tiffany punched him hard in the jaw and grabbed the gun, struggling to yank it from his grasp.

"Get off me psycho!" Trina watched them, unable to get up and help. They struggled for about five minutes until a gunshot echoed through the air. Trina's body froze as she watched her friend, hovering over Beck. Tiffany's eyes widened and her body began to tremble.

"N-No," Trina whimpered as blood spilled out onto the ground. "Not again. No…Not this…" Beck pushed Tiffany off and rose up, growling as he turned towards Trina. "T-Tiffany no. Get up. Get up!" Her heart tore apart as tears bolted from her eyes.

"Now." Beck shrugged his shoulders and stepped before Trina, aiming his gun at her. "Where were we? That's right, I was about to remove the thorn from my side. I hope you know, it's nothing personal. I'm trying to get the Scrapperz up to the top, and that means taking out the others, and damn anyone that gets in my way." Just then, there was a commotion coming from the hangout. Beck jerked his head up. "Shit. I knew I only had one shot…" He looked to Tiffany's body and smirked. "I guess it wasn't a total waste." With that, he turned and ran off. Trina studied Tiffany and reached out, putting her hand over the woman's.

However long she'd sat there, weeping, she didn't know. Her sorrow was only broken when she heard Jesse and Vivian call out to her. The two surrounded her and Vivian hurried to check Trina, but it was clearly too late. "What happened here?" Jesse asked as he helped Trina to sit up. They sat against the wall and she put her head to his shoulder, sobbing through her physical pain.

"B-Beck…I didn't want to fight because I knew it would screw things up. That fucked up puppet lover-Robbie-he told Beck I was here. He recognized Tiffany and tried to kill me. Tiffany…she tried to stop him…" Jesse closed his eyes and clenched his fists. "Jesse. What…what happens now?"

"We get you to one of our clinics, get the police to take care of Tiffany, and then…I'll talk to the other gangs first thing tomorrow. I'll let them know the situation. The Scrapperz attacked us…are you okay?"

"No."

"I'm sorry, Trina." There was nothing more to be said. All she could do was stare at Tiffany's body and struggle not to want to chase after Beck. When she healed up, however, she would be going after him. Not just him, but she'd be dealing with the other two idiots that hung around him.

There was going to be blood.

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And the race is on. Gang wars aren't exactly short, so yeah. This was a sad chapter. Beck may not realize or he may have known exactly what he was doing, but he started a war. At least Trina has a plan to find a way to get Tori and Jade to safety.


	17. Flourishing Rage

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

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Chapter 17 (Growing Rage)

With a blue ring on her hand and a sneer on her face, Trina marched to the Vega house a few days later, knowing well Tori's friends were over. When she got out of the clinic, Vivian let her know she was replacing Tiffany as one of the lieutenants, giving her command of the warriors, soldiers, and outsiders. She would utilize them well.

Trina's heart burned with the fires of her hatred. Her eyes fixated on a car in the driveway. Andre's. With a fierce yell, she threw a rock into car's back side window. She continued her march to the door and pushed it open, startling the friends in the room. Tori was not in the room, but that didn't matter much. "Andre!" Andre looked up to her and pointed outside. "Someone smashed your car window. You'd better check it out."

"What?!" Andre shot up angrily and charged from the house. She then slammed the door shut and locked it, then turned her fiery glare onto Robbie. He began to shudder as she walked towards him.

"What do you want?" She started to say something, but stopped when Andre began banging on the door.

"I want you away from my little sister. Another thing…" She grabbed Rex and pulled him away from Robbie, smirking dangerously as the boy cried out. "If you want to see Rex alive, you will meet me-" She pulled a slip of paper from her pocket and handed it to him, after already written down an address. "And we will talk about the future of your demon puppet."

"B-But what do you mean? What are you going to do?" She closed her eyes and moved Rex behind her back, smiling softly while wishing she could tear his head off right now.

"Nothing. I just want to have a little talk with you in private. But first you're going to have to leave this house. Got it?" Robbie began to whimper and Trina pointed to the door. In an instant, he scrambled for the door and ran headfirst into it, forgetting that it was locked. "Unlock it first."

He heeded her suggestion and ran outside. Andre ran in, screaming at the top of his lungs. "Did you see who did that to my car, Trina? Tell me you did!" Trina threw Rex on the couch and turned to face Andre.

"As a matter of fact, I did. He was a tall guy with spiky red hair and a freckled face."

"That sounds like Nelson from my algebra class! That little asshole!" Trina waited for him to leave, chuckling darkly as he got into his car and sped off. Her eyes drifted to the stairs and she watched her mother descend them. Holly was surprised to see her, just as Trina was surprised to see she was still living in the household.

"Mom? You're still here? What happened to Gary?"

"Still together," Holly smiled absently, as if she expected Trina not to care that she was with the man. She watched the woman rush for the door and rolled her eyes.

"Of course you two are." She still wondered where Beck was, since she'd not seen him yet. Usually wherever Robbie and Andre were, Beck was somewhere nearby. She started for the stairs, gazing up and thinking of calling for Tori. When she heard a scream, Trina's heart jumped and she sped into Tori's room, only to find her and Jade playing some video game. The girls looked up, Tori had screamed because something jumped out at her. The girls looked to her and Tori quickly stood up, smiling. "Hey Tori."

"Trina!" Tori hurried over and threw her arms around Trina's neck, laughing for joy. The girl didn't know about the attack days ago, and that's the way Trina wanted it to stay. "I missed you."

"I missed you too." She looked around the room, then to Jade. "Where is Beck? What is he up to?" If he was somewhere nearby, she'd have to send him away. She would not kill him in front of her little sister and Jade. No. She'd kill him elsewhere. She and Vivian were on track to start assassinations of the Scrapperz Lieutenants, their soldiers, and leaders. The gangs were more than willing to close in. "I guess it's not important. What is important is that I talk to you two…"

"Well Beck left to grab something so he's not here," Jade answered, "What do you want to talk about?" Trina pulled a chair from the desk and sat down, facing the girls. Her heart raced as she studied her little sister, knowing she was going to have to send her away, but for her own safety. Tori saw the sadness in her eyes and scrunched her face.

"What's the matter, sis?"

"Nothing." Trina leaned back and breathed in slowly. "Tori, Jade, have you two looked into Baylor University?" The girls looked at each other with surprise, then glanced back, both nodding.

"Cat told us about it. We looked into it, and it is a _great_ school! Too bad it's all the way in Texas, though Dad wouldn't have a problem with me going. They have really good programs and everything. Why?"

"Because I want you two to go there. With Sam and Cat." Tori's jaw dropped and Jade raised an eyebrow up. "I'm talking to Sam's dad, he's the president of the university right now. He can get you in." They were understandably confused. "That is, if I can convince him. The thing is, the state of things are going to be getting very dangerous. I don't know what Beck will do to you, Jade, or even you, Tori…I don't know what the Scrapperz will do, but they're getting more dangerous."

"What are you talking about?" Tori stood up and walked over to her. "I don't want to leave you, Trina. As nice as Baylor seems-" Tori looked back to Jade and tugged her lip into a slight frown. "Jade? Back me up here. Trina, what's going on?"

"Nothing, I just want you to be a success, and to be away from Beck. Has he done anything to you?"

"No…why?"

"Good." Trina heard the door downstairs slam shut, causing the girls to jerk their heads over. She stood up and went to investigate. Tori and Jade followed after her. Downstairs, Beck had entered the house and was clearly upset. He stopped at the bottom of the stairs and sneered when he made eye contact with Trina. "Hello Beck, so nice to see you again."

"I thought Andre and Robbie mentioned you were here, Trina." He smiled casually and spread his arms out. "Glad to see you're well." He looked past her to Tori and Jade, who were now trying to conceal themselves behind Trina. This meant they too felt the dangerous tension that was growing in the air. "What are you up to?"

"Me? Nothing, this is my sister's house and I'm visiting her of course." Trina stepped down the stairs, sliding her fingers along the handrail. Her eyes remained locked into his poison glare, her heart was pounding and rage was seeping through her veins. "You know everyone knows about your involvement with that gang, right? Why do you pretend?"

"Because it doesn't matter. You know, I haven't forgotten our little talk the other night."

"Can't say I have either." She narrowed her eyes and growled as she reached the bottom step. "You make Ross look like a fucking saint, Beck." She tilted her head and curled her lips into a smirk. "So, why are you so bent out of shape today?"

"The Snapperz have come under attack by all the major gangs. Including the Knights. They think they're going to run us out of town. As for me?" He lifted his shirt, revealing a pistol handle hanging out of his waist. Tori cried out and Jade's eyes widened tremendously. "I just want to finish what I started. We can take this out back if you'd like…but then, how would gunning you down hurt you? You'd just go be with Sinjin in the afterlife. I realize now, if I wanted to hurt you, I'd have to hurt you differently." He aimed the pistol at Tori, who froze on the spot. Trina scowled at him and clenched her fists.

"You just love pissing the wrong people off, don't you?" She swept her leg up, sweeping it through Beck's wrist. He shouted and pulled back, dropping his gun to the floor. Tori and Jade ran for the bedroom and Trina charged forward. "You leave my sister _out_ of this." She grabbed his throat and pushed him to the ground, pinning him with her knees. She raised her right fist and glared into his eyes. "This fight doesn't involve her, and it doesn't involve Jade either." She slammed her fist down, cracking into his jaw.

"Bitch!" He pushed her off and rose up, scanning the floor for the gun. Trina lunged forward with him, reaching out for the weapon.

"I don't think so!" She grabbed the gun and positioned her back against the wall, aiming for Beck. He froze and narrowed his eyes. "I'll give you a head start."

"Why not gun me down on the spot?"

"Like I'm going to do that in my sister's house. But mark my words, I will be the one to kill you." Beck scoffed and bent over slowly patting her cheek with her hand. She turned her head away, still glaring through the corners of her eyes.

"Such small threats from such a pretty face. It's a pity I can't take you seriously." He placed his hands on the gun and slowly looked to the stairs, frowning as Tori and Jade appeared back at the top, watching with wide eyes. "So nice of you to be here for your little sister, Trina." He lowered his voice to a whisper and started to smirk. "You won't always be here though. I've got Jade and your sister wrapped around my fingers, they'll believe anything I say."

"Don't you dare touch my sister."

"Oh I wouldn't dream of it, but I have to say, all the Scrapperz think she's got one hell of a nice ass." She tensed as Beck pulled his gun away. He started to laugh as he pushed the gun back between his jeans. "Funny how well that affects you. See, it's easy to find a weak spot and exploit it. Now…I know your weak point."

"Fuck you."

"Oh no thanks. I've already got a girlfriend and a bunch of prostitutes I can take my pick of." Trina flared up, somehow resisting the urge to kill him on the spot. Unfortunately, she wouldn't fight in front of her sister, and so he was correct to a point. Tori was her strength, however, not her weakness, but the girl's safety was her primary concern. Beck turned to the stairs and looked up to Jade. "Jade! Let's go." Jade stiffened and shook her head.

"No!" She screamed back, "I'm not going anywhere with you. Trina's right, you're dangerous."

"What did you just-" He looked down to Trina, then scoffed as he brushed his hand through his hair. "Of course. Trina's poisoning your brains already." He looked back to Jade and waved with his hand. "Don't listen to her, she's just insane as always. You already know that, too, right Tori? You're the one that was always saying how crazy Trina was, we just go along with it."

"Shut up!" Tori cried. Tears were rolling down her face and she was holding onto Jade as if she were the one thing keeping Beck from killing her. "You're the demon here, you're the one that's part of a violent gang. You're the one that's insane! Leave my sister alone! She never did anything to you!"

"Sure." He crossed his arms and barked another order at Jade. "I said move!" Trina started to pull herself up, seething through her teeth. She slipped her phone into her pocket and stepped up behind Beck, whispering lowly into his ear, causing him to stiffen.

"You have about sixty seconds to run. My friend, Vivian is down the street, and Jesse's at a café in the next neighborhood. I just texted them your current location."

"You can be a real cunt sometimes…"

"And you are wasting time. Because at my disposal are about 10 warrior knights and hundreds of soldiers." She swept her arm over his shoulder to show him the blue ring. "Run. But know this…you will still die…but this war between the gangs? My sister and Jade will not be dragged into it. Spread your poison elsewhere."

Beck winced and glared once more at Jade before leaving the house. She took a deep breath and looked over as Tori ran down the stairs and threw her arms around her. "Trina!" Jade walked down behind her, still shaken up.

"Mom and Dad won't mind," Jade muttered, "They'd let me go off to Baylor. At least…It'd be safer there, right?"

"I checked," Trina hugged Tori back and looked over to Jade, "Baylor has a great criminal justice program." Her eyes drifted to the door as Jesse and Vivian came rushing in. "Oh, Tori, you wanted to meet my friends?"

Tori sniffled and pulled away, whining. "What?" Trina gave her a warm smile and pointed to Vivian and Jesse. Tori looked over her shoulders and took a shaky breath. "Oh. These are your friends?"

"Yes. Jesse and Vivian." The two waved at Tori and walked over. Jesse looked towards Trina, concerned for the safety. He knew Tori and Jade were unaware of Trina's involvement with the Knights, so they weren't going to bring it up.

"Everything all right? We got your text."

"Everything is good. Beck left already." Knowing these two, they probably already had a bunch of Knights surrounding and scouring the neighborhood. Vivian sat down with Tori at the couch and called Jade over, and within minutes, the woman had the two relaxed and laughing at her jokes. Jesse and Trina stood at the kitchen counter, discussing quietly the possibility of sending Jade and Tori away.

"Are you sure you really want to do that?"

"I love my sister so much that I don't want her to go, but I love her enough that I would send her away to protect her." Jesse crossed his arms and looked over to the couch, nodding slowly. Trina tucked her hair over her ear and let out a soft sigh. "That university can also be the best thing for her, but I actually have to talk to Sam about it first, and talk to her father."

"They can be sent over and start classes now?"

"If they want, but any of Tori's and Jade's classes here can be done online. There's a process, but for the most part, if the President of the university says to give those two a room on campus today, they would get one today. Same for Sam and Cat. This gang war that's starting up…" She saw Tori look over at her, coming down from laughing at another one of Vivian's jokes. Trina waved at her and leaned against her palms on the counter. "I know what you said about there being innocent casualties-I don't want my sister or her friend to be one of those. And today-they almost were."

"Right. Does Beck know anything about this Baylor University?"

"No. He doesn't even know Sam's got a sister over there. As far as I am aware, only Jade and Tori have met Sam through Cat." She turned her eyes to Rex, now sitting on the floor. Her gaze darkened and she popped her jaw in irritation. "Beck wants to play hardball with us, I'll play hardball. For some reason, he hates me. If he's trying to threaten the people I care about-and Tiffany was my friend-then shit's going to happen to those he cares about…His friends are toast. He's about to see just how _hard_ I can be."

"Careful with that revenge, it can turn you into a monster if you're not careful."

"Beck is the only monster here, and shit has hit the proverbial fan already." There was no stopping her trail of fire, destruction would be at her wake. If it was war Beck wanted, it was war he was getting. Her heart may not be black yet, but it would be if something happened to the one little bit of light that was left. "No one makes a threat towards my sister and gets away with it."

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Hope you enjoyed the chapter. It looks like Tori and Jade will likely be on the path to going somewhere safe. Ah Beck, so eager to remove anyone that's in his way to rising toward the top. Unfortunately the tactic of aiming at the one they care about and expecting they'll jump in the way of your bullet just doesn't seem to work on Trina.

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	18. Wood for the Fire

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:For some reason I decided to give you the next chapter, so here it is.

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Chapter 18 (Wood for the Fire)

Trina sat in a red leather chair in the drug warehouse with Rex at her lap. Her cold, icy eyes fell on the door guarded by two warriors she was in charge of. With her left hand, she scratched through Rex's thin, string-like hair. In her right hand was her phone, she recently got off the phone with Sam, who agreed to talk to Melanie and her dad about Baylor. As it turned out, Sam was aware of the brewing gang activity and wanted to take Cat and Cat's grandmother to Texas with her. How Sam knew, Trina was not aware. It was possible she had inside knowledge from one of the many other gangs nearby.

She slipped her phone into her pocket, but left it on, expecting that Sam would call her back soon enough. She turned her eyes to the furnace beside her and curled her lips at the fire burning bright. "Oh Rex, if only you knew just how numbered your days really were." She grabbed the control for Rex's mouth and gazed down at him, chuckling as she pulled it down. "What's that Rex? You're speechless? Wonderful!"

"Robbie will save me," she mocked in a deep voice, trying to imitate Robbie's ventriloquism. "You just wait." She threw her head back with delight, laughing as she thought back onto all the torment that this puppet caused for people including herself. Granted, it was not the puppet.

"Oh but this is more about Robbie than anything." She eyed the table in front of her with an empty wooden chair on the other side. There were mounds of angel dust on the table, just waiting to be used. "See little puppet, I'm going to run an experiment on your precious puppet master. How far can we go until he's addicted to this shit?" Drugs, they ruined many lives, and now, they would claim another.

The door to the darkened warehouse opened and light spilled in, attracting Trina's glare. Robbie stepped inside, trembling anxiously as he looked warily around. "T-Trina? Are you in here?" The warriors shut the door, causing him to jump and scream. "Who's there!" She rolled her eyes and put her fingers to her mouth, whistling for him. He glanced over with wide eyes. "Trina! Rex!"

"Get your shifty ass over here, Robbie. We need to talk."

He scurried over and she motioned to the chair. As he sat down, his eyes fell to the cocaine on the table. His eyes widened and he glanced back up at her. "Oh my god, Trina. You do drugs?" She scrunched her face and raised her voice to him.

"I do not do drugs! I don't touch the stuff, but you know who will? You." His jaw dropped and he began shaking his head. Anticipating this, Trina's lips curled into a tiny smile and she moved Rex to her other leg, closer to the fire. Robbie tried to reach over, but she smacked his hand away. "Uh-uh. See, you're going to do what I ask of you, or your little puppet here goes in the fire."

"No! Not Rex!"

"Then…" She pulled a pocketknife out and slashed the bags of crack. "Stick your face in, and take a deep ass breath, Robbie." Robbie began to whimper and shook his head.

"Y-You're a drug dealer?"

"No I'm not a drug dealer, we have initiatives and soldiers for that. I'm a fucking Lieutenant." His eyes grew and he quickly studied the furnace beside her.

"You're part of a gang?"

"Yes, but you are not to tell anyone what you hear in here. Got that?" He began to whimper, flinching when he heard the sound of a hammer being pulled back on a gun. One of the warriors in the room was now holding a gun to the back of his head. "Got it, Robbie?"

"Y-Yes! I promise, everything will be kept to myself!"

"Good. Now as a sign of trust, dig in…" She swept her hand through the air over the cocaine. "Now."

"You can't be serious. You just can't." With a heavy sigh, Trina ripped off Rex's leg and threw it into the furnace. Robbie screamed out and she narrowed her eyes onto him.

"Does it _look_ like I'm not serious?! I've had it up to here with you and this fucked up puppet, and I have to put up with you being around my sister and influencing her with your dumbass, pathetic ways, hitting on her and every other woman you come across with this damn toy!"

"He's not a toy! He's real, he isn't a toy." Trina rolled her eyes and snapped her fingers. "What-What did you just-" He screamed as one of the warriors behind him put their hand to his head and slammed his face into the cocaine. He was held down for several seconds before being brought back up. His entire face was covered with the powder, and his body was trembling. Some of the drug was falling from his nostrils and his lips.

"You know Robbie. I sympathize with you." Robbie opened his eyes, whimpering as Trina gently caressed Rex's arm. "When I was a little girl, I had a stuffed animal that I took around everywhere. I thought she had a real soul and everything. Even thought she could talk."

"R-Really?"

"Yes Robbie. But I was eight then." She moved her hand to Rex's remaining leg and firmly grasped it. "Then one day some asshole came along and ran over my stuffed toy. I remember staring down as cotton spilled out all over the road." Robbie whimpered as Trina tore off Rex's remaining leg and chucked it into the furnace. "Now take another hit, Robbie. I want to see you hooked on that drug. Your mind's already crazed, so maybe this will have 'medicinal' purposes. Maybe not. It likely won't."

"P-Please…"

"Take another hit Robbie." She moved her hand to Rex's arm and Robbie screamed. He hunched over and grabbed the circular makeshift straw on the table, snorting the cocaine like a professional. She smirked as he jerked back up, gasping and blinking. He rubbed his nose and tears fell from his eyes. "Very good, Robbie. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were already experienced in dealing with drugs." She winked at him and curled her lips into a smile. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

"N-No…"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Take another hit." He wept bitterly and did as instructed, screaming as he came back up. "I don't know, usually people don't know how to snort that shit. I'm not experienced with it and even if I thought to try it, I would probably need some instruction."

"I might have tried some back in junior high, but not-not like this."

"Oh!" She laughed for a minute before narrowing her eyes. "So you just lied to me?"

"No! It's not like that, I swear!"

"Take another hit." He moaned, but once more dipped down. She could tell he was becoming addicted to it. His eyes were beginning to turn red and his body's quivering was increasing in intensity.

"Why are you doing this?"

"I told you already."

"I-I'll leave your sister alone. I promise. I'll stay away!"

"That's not good enough for me."

"I'll stop depending on Rex!"

"Oh that's not the biggest problem." She chuckled darkly as Robbie moved his hands to his face, sweeping away the powder that now itched his cheeks. "It's part of the problem. Another part of the problem is-I just hate you and I hate this puppet of yours." He whimpered and shut his eyes.

"Why not just kill me?"

"Because that would be boring. See, the way I consider it, you're the lucky one." He looked at her with confusion and hugged his arms as he rocked back and forth. "I don't want you dead. Not yet anyway, I just want to see what you're like when you're high. I also want you dependent on something else, and it is clear to me that without Rex, you can't be dependent on something. So-that's why we're here today. You get to get a new addiction."

"What's wrong with the puppet?"

"I just told you. The puppet is something you use to pick up girls with, you can't even talk to people without it! So I'm going to cure you of this problem." She pointed to the cocaine and cleared her throat. "Take another hit, I don't want to see any of it left on the table."

"Please no."

"Now, I said!" He let out a shout and dipped back down, taking a long snort this time. "See, its much different when you realize that you really have no control. No power whatsoever. Like a majority of men like you, you think you can control others. This puppet is just an extension of that. Your need to control and have power is symbolized by this…thing."

"That's not true!"

"Ah but it is! Without Rex, if you had a girlfriend, you would just be trying to control her like the puppetmaster you are. Well here, _I_ am the puppetmaster, and what I say goes."

"Trina have mercy."

Trina leaned forward, hovering inches away from him. "I think you and I both know that I am _beyond_ the point of mercy. Beck ensured us all of that."

"W-What did _he_ do?"

"Pissed off the wrong person. Thinks he can scare me by making sexual threats in regards to my sister, thinks he can scare me by trying to beat me down, and he _thinks_ he's going to shut me up by killing those who are close to me. Unfortunately, all of this just further enrages me and further proves my point about you people. You are nothing. Just selfish little assholes who like to fuck around and pretend you're something you're not." Robbie whimpered as Trina looked down to the cocaine on the table. Her eyes narrowed and her lips fell downward. "There's still some left, Robbie."

"Oh god!"

"You know what to do."

"Please don't make me do more…" He looked down and started to twitch. "It feels so cold in here, Trina."

"Oh? Then we need more wood for the fire." Robbie froze and slowly looked up to her. She lifted Rex up and threw his entire body into the fire, causing Robbie to scream out in anguish. "Let's end your dependency on this puppet cold turkey shall we? Now finish up the drug! You're wasting time and product!" Robbie continued to scream as his tears flushed down his face. She stood up and pointed to the table. "Finish it now, before I have to make you do it myself."

"Okay! Okay! Oh my god…" He whimpered and went to work. "I'm sorry Trina. I'm so-so sorry. Please…forgive…" His tears drenched the table and with each hit he took, he whimpered more. Trina took a deep breath and crossed her arms.

"There's an ATM on the back wall of the warehouse. You're going to have to withdraw money, proceeds go to the Black Knights."

"I-I'll do it, I swear. I promise." He took out his wallet and handed her the card. She closed her eyes and gave the card to one of the warriors.

"Withdraw three hundred and take the cash to the treasurer. If they don't receive the cash, I know where to find you, but I trust you." The gang member nodded and went to do as instructed. Trina looked down to Robbie, who was now curled up in a ball and shivering. "Pathetic and weak. To think, you were one of the ones that used to call me pathetic. I wasn't the one dependent on a dumbass puppet, however."

Robbie's only response was a further whimper. She expected him to seek out more drugs after this. He was also irresponsible, so chances were, he might become too over-dependent and overdose.

Her phone went off and she answered it. Hearing Sam's voice, she stepped over Robbie and started talking. "You talk to your sister and dad yet, Sam?"

"I did. He said he'd be willing to pull some strings, but just this one time. Tori, Jade, Cat, and myself are already a lot of people."

"Sounds good. I'll be in touch, okay?"

"Okay."

"Thanks." She hung up her phone and looked to one of the warriors. "I need you to perform a hit for me." The gang member looked at her and slowly nodded her head. "There's this man that's been getting a tad aggressive around my sister and her friends, he's been yelling and cussing them out, trying to control them. I don't want him abusing my little sister like he abuses his grandmother. So I want you to take care of him…make it look like a suicide." This would further derail Beck's overconfident, cocky 'can't-touch-me' attitude. If one of his friends was hooked on drugs, and the other dead, it would surely take care of things on that front. She turned her glare down to Robbie and scowled. "You know the drill, make sure there are no traces to the Black Knights. If there's any suspicion cast, I want it cast on the Scrapperz…"

"Yes ma'am."

"If you make it look like a worthwhile suicide, then there won't be any suspicion."

"How would you prefer?" She lifted her head up and stared at the burning fire. A sneer formed on her face as she thought on Andre.

"Hang the bastard. String him up. I will be in church with my family on Sunday…Do it then." She made no attempt to pretend she was a practicing Christian, she knew her crimes. She knew God wasn't thrilled with her, and a part of her wasn't happy either, but she was already overcome with her own hatred and anger.

However, there were hypocrites out there. Her mother would go to church and boast about perfect marriages, bringing down anyone that left the church because of an affair. Namely the last pastor who had an affair with one of the women in the choir, Holly would go on and on about how wrong and bad that man was when she herself was still deeply involved with Gary.

Her father acted like the perfect family man, denouncing anyone that was too busy to tend to their families. Yet, the way he treated his daughters spoke volumes, as did his workaholic behavior. She was still proud of him, because he still cared about his children and still did his best at work. He was a far better person than their mother.

She was no saint, but she didn't put down others and claim she was perfect. If there was a saint in her family, it would be Tori. Tori acknowledged her own imperfections and she would be the one to pray for forgiveness and strove to be a better person. She was the one that read the bible, got involved in church activities if she could. Tori truly was a jewel, and a precious gem in Trina's eyes.

Trina crouched down and pat Robbie on the arm. She knew he couldn't hear her anymore, he was past that, and had finally managed to pass out. "You and your friends won't taint my sister anymore, Robbie. I'll make sure of that…"

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So Robbie's probably going to have a drug problem, but at the very least Trina's not killing him. Andre, on the other hand, is next on the shit list to showing Beck what it is like to lose friends, and to keep Andre from abusing people anymore. What did you think of this chapter?


	19. Struggle of Light and Dark

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N: As indicated by the title, this one is big on symbolism

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Chapter 19 (A Struggle of Light and Dark)

Sunday morning came and Trina decided best to stop by the Vega home so they could all drive to church together. When she arrived she was surprised to see Robbie and Beck over with Jade. "Are they joining us?" Trina looked to Tori, who was seated on the couch with Jade. Tori was in a long blue dress with a simple round collar and puffy shoulders. The dress had folds at the bottom and brushed against her purple shoes.

"No they aren't." Tori looked up and smiled slightly, "Though Jade is. Beck and Robbie came over because she did…" Trina huffed and glanced over to Beck, who smirked back at him. She wasn't surprised to see him still trying to hang around the two. Her eyes drifted to Jade, she was in a similar dress, but it was a deep purple color.

"So they're just here to see everyone off to church?" Robbie was fidgety and staring at her with a frightened gaze. His eyes were bloodshot and he was brushing his finger against his nose constantly, a sure sign that made it seem like he'd been taking drugs since they dropped him off on Friday. "Robbie, what happened to the puppet?" He whined and Beck glanced to him with an arched brow.

"He died…"

"Oh? Well that's a pity." Her eyes drifted to their father's office. The man stepped out and tugged on his formal police uniform. "Wearing that, huh Dad?" David ran his fingers through his hair and flashed a toothy grin.

"You know it," he replied. "It's almost like the military, it's a sign of formality and respect." She heard that one before. David turned to Beck and gave him a nod. "Beck, Robbie, you guys can go home now. We're fixing to leave." They chose not to argue, but to remain well behaved. After all, neither of them wanted to piss off one of the most powerful men in Las Angeles.

"Yes sir." Beck turned around and stopped beside Trina. His eyes drifted to the corners and she glared back at him from the corners of her eyes. The tension in the room swirled around them. "Have fun at church, Trina."

"I will, Beck. I will." Beck scoffed under his breath and walked off. As Robbie started to pass her, she reached out and set her hand on his chest. Her voice lowered to a whisper as the boy began to tremble. "Everything is still between us, right?"

"Yes, I swear." Robbie shifted back and forth, then towards Trina with a quieter whisper. "D-Do you…do you have more of that stuff?" Trina smirked and removed her hand, still speaking low enough that no one else heard her.

"I'm not the dealer, but if you go to the corner of Peachtree and Main, one of the soldier knights may meet you. You pay him cash." Robbie sniffed and ran off to meet Beck at the door, who was watching carefully. Once the men were gone, David leaned back against the counter and crossed his arms. Trina and Tori looked fondly to him as he bowed his head and closed his eyes.

"Okay, so now that I have your attention, I'd like to discuss this Baylor University." He opened his eyes and looked to Tori with a mild frown. "You and Jade want to move so soon? Why? I mean, I understand you're eager to go, and-"

"Well we've been accepted," Tori answered. A proud expression swept over his face and he nodded slowly. Tori stood up and hurried over. "I can finish out this semester of college online and already be at Baylor when classes start next semester. It's better this way, too…"

"But you will be far away from your sister, Tori…"

"Trina's the one that got me this opportunity, because of Cat's roommate." David uncrossed his arms and looked from Tori to Jade, then back to Trina. He seemed receptive and hopefully understanding. "But I need this too. I might be a little clingy where my sister comes…"

"You've always clung to her." Tori chuckled nervously while Jade's eyebrows rose up. This was a very true statement, and for a variety of reasons occurring in childhood. Reasons that were separate from Holly's cheating or David's workaholic personality. Tori followed Trina everywhere and clung to her after an incident when she nearly drowned in the deep end of a lake. Trina dove in and pulled her out, and ever since then, Tori was almost codependent on her. Hollywood Arts changed that a little, but Trina could see Tori still had some codependent behavior. "Do you think you can handle being that far away?"

"Well Trina's already moved to another place and I don't see her every single day, so I'm kind of getting used to it. Plus, Baylor will help me to become independent."

"If you believe so. If it is what you want, I'll support it." Trina of course supported it too for the benefit of her sister's potential future careers. Baylor was the school that would help her the most, and this time, she had a feeling she would not regret helping her sister into a school, as she did with Hollywood Arts. "Will there be anyone else you know that's going, besides Jade?"

"Yes , Daddy. Cat and her roommate, Sam, will be going. We're all going to leave around the same."

"Okay." He checked his watch and hummed. "We'd better get going, we'll be late." Trina had to admit, for as separated and busy a man as David was, he did still have moments where he could be seen to care for his daughters like he cared for the city.

Jesse didn't think it would be good for any of the LA gangs if he were to replace the current police chief. What was happening with the current one was his sickly demeanor. He wasn't going to step down, but his illness was making it harder for him to do his job. For that reason, he wasn't able to focus on the city's crimes. If David became police chief, it was obvious where his focus would be. The city gangs. There was a possibility as well of David becoming a shrewd enemy to all of them.

"Hey, mom's not coming?" Trina searched the house for signs of Holly. David scoffed and signaled the three girls to move with him. It didn't take much for her to figure out what her mother was up to. "Let me guess, she's too busy with Gary to go to church?"

"She'll probably arrive late," Tori remarked, "Probably tell everyone she was stuck in traffic."

At church, Trina stood outside the doors, peering at the house across the street. Andre's home. She tilted her head to the right and narrowed her eyes at the red and gold leaves that covered his front lawn. She moved back inside and walked to the front pew where her family was. Tori was standing between Jade and David. Trina stepped on the other side of her father and leaned forward, peering at Tori. "You're not going to sing in the choir, Tori?"

"Not today," she shook her head and started to smile, "I just want to be here with my family. Trina nodded and looked towards her left, Andre's grandmother was sitting in the pew going through her purse. Andre was nowhere in sight. The woman glanced up to her and smiled as Trina's brow furrowed.

"Hey, I haven't seen you at church here before." Despite living across the street, Andre and his grandmother never came to church.

"I put my foot down today and told Andre I was going to church," the woman had a strong look in her eyes. "I have not gone to church since his parents passed, he hasn't wanted to go to church and kept me from going. Andre's still at home, I think he went back to bed."

"Ah. Well it's good to see you in church anyway." She wasn't going to lie, she was happy that the woman made up her mind to be here, despite what Andre may say.

The pastor began to walk to the stage just as Holly came rushing through the doors and raced towards the pews. The family didn't bother to look at her or to hear her explanation for being late. Why David allowed her to still be around, Trina didn't know.

Once she was settled in to her space, she grasped the back end of the pew in front of them and looked to the preacher. A screen rolled down behind him and the people in the choir booth all started to stand. The sermons usually started out with music, then the sermon came, then benediction after the last minute announcements.

Trina wasn't going to pretend she was some big time Christian. She used to be, but since Sinjin's death, she'd begun to feel a separation gap growing between her and God. At the same time, she loved some of the hymns the church played, namely her favorite hymn, _Sweet Hour of Prayer._ For some reason, that was the one that always spoke to her.

"Good morning!" The pastor expressed his cheer and clapped his hands together. "It's good to see all your faces here today." Trina felt something shift inside, her gut lurched forward and she moved her hand over her stomach. Her eyes drifted to the wooden cross behind the pastor and her lips fell into a frown.

_"What are you doing?"_ The unconscious sentence left a stain on her brain as she struggled to remove it. _"You know in your heart the road you're on is wrong. You can only lose…you will never win…"_

Trina averted her gaze and looked to the screen where the words to her favorite hymn were being displayed. "We're going to start off this morning with a little Sweet Hour of Prayer," the pastor declared. She firmly grasped the pew in front of her and began to sing with the rest of the church as the song played. Her heart pounded in her chest and her body began to heat up with a strange sensation inside.

_Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer. That calls me from a world of care, and bids me at my father's throne! Make all my wants and wishes known…in seasons of distress and grief, my soul has often found relief, and oft escaped the tempter's snare, by thy return, sweet hour of prayer…_

Andre Harris stood in his grandmother's bedroom, glaring out the window that faced the church. It was the only room in the house that had such a view, and his bedroom only faced the back yard. He let out a sneer and turned his back, "Stupid woman, doesn't she know God doesn't give a shit?" He walked from the room, stopping only to glare at a photo on the wall of his mom and dad holding him as a baby.

His eyes narrowed and his fists clenched as his anger began to rise. "If He cared, He wouldn't have let you two die and leave me with a bat-shit, crazy, insane old woman." Andre marched towards his bedroom, stopping only when he saw the door cracked open. With growing suspicion, he reached for the silver doorknob. There were no air currents, but even still, he'd left the door shut when he left the room.

_Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer, thy wings shall my petition bear. To Him whose truth, and faithfulness, engage the waiting soul to bless…and since He bids me seek his face, believe his word and trust His grace. I'll cast on him my every care, and wait for thee sweet hour of prayer…_

Opening the door, he saw three men waiting for him. They were wearing ski masks, grey sweaters and long grey pants. Their hands were covered by black leather gloves. One of the men had a rope. Andre's eyes widened as he took a slight step back.

The window to his room had always been blocked by one of the bedposts on his headboard. Now, the window was open. There were no other houses that could see his back window, which made things chaotic for him.

His heart began to race as he turned to run, but the moment he did, there was a fourth man standing in the doorway. The man pushed him, causing him to stumble into the arms of two of the others. Andre began screaming, praying _someone_ could hear him, but it was fruitless. He felt the noose wrap around his neck and reached to grab it, crying out in vain.

_Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer. May I thy consolation share. Till from Mount Pigsah's lofty height. I view my home and take my flight. This robe of flesh I'll drop and rise to seize the everlasting prize, and shout while passing through the air. Farewell, Farewell, sweet hour of prayer…_

After forcing him to write a short suicide note, the men walked him towards the window. He whimpered as the men tied the end of the rope to the strong point of the bed post. They didn't allow him much room to mess with anything, so he was unable to leave clues of distress. "I don't want to die…" They set him on the windowsill, letting his legs dangle out. His hands gripped the edge as tears fell down his trembling face.

"Trina Vega sends her regards," one of the men stated. Andre's heart stopped and his eyes widened as he visualized Trina. He began to whimper and shut his eyes, knowing that this was the end of the line. He now understood why this was happening, for how he'd been treating her and her sister. He still wanted to fight his way out of this, but he would never get the chance. For the second he started to twist around, he was pushed.

He felt the rope jerk and his hands flew up as he kicked through the air. The rope constricted and tightened around his neck, clamping off the passage of air to his lungs. Gazing up at the sky, he pleaded for help, but help would not come.

How long would it be before he was discovered? He pondered this thought, realizing that nobody's windows faced him, and he did not face the street. His grandmother probably wouldn't think to check the window for the rope. He was going to hang, and nobody would know. Nobody would care.

Feeling the loss, he released the rope around his neck and let his hands fall. His legs moved to a sway as he bowed his head, letting himself go.

In the church, after the sermon was over, everyone rose for the benediction, singing the song.

_Kumbaya my Lord, kumbaya. Kumbaya my lord, kumbaya…kumbaya my Lord, kumbaya. O lord, Kumbaya. For the sun that rises in the sky, for the rhythm of the falling rain, for all life great or small. For all that's true, for all you do. Kumbaya my lord, kumbaya my lord, kumbaya…_

Everyone began to scatter and Trina listened to Holly tell the pastor how great of a sermon he gave. A wave of nausea shot through her as she stared at the hypocritical woman. Holly had been texting throughout the sermon. Trina rolled her eyes and moved towards the pastor, "Excuse me Mom. I need to talk with Pastor James."

"Oh. Okay dear." Holly walked off as Trina crossed her arms and shook her head. Pastor James turned to her and smiled pleasantly. The man had soft brown eyes and a friendly expression that gave her comfort.

"Your sermon really was good, Pastor." He was preaching on the basics of love, honesty and companionship with not only other people but with God and Jesus. She wanted to feel that connection, she honestly did, but it was too difficult for her to do so. The man pat her on the back as they sat on the steps to the stage.

"Something bothering you, Trina? How are you handling things since your boyfriend's passing?"

"It's…hard." She looked towards her family, they were all grouped at the doors and chatting with other members of the church. "I'm not going to pretend to feel something when I don't, I'm not a hypocrite like some are."

"Well, while we all have our mistakes, you must know that you should not judge another person for their own faults." James rubbed his chin and started to chuckle. "I did see your mother on her phone during the sermon, so I know she wasn't paying attention. It is her own sin though, we each have our own sins and struggles. While it is unbecoming to pretend that you do not struggle with the sins that you struggle with, God knows what you do even if no one else does."

"That's just it. Sometimes…I feel like he's not there. At the same time, I know I've been doing things that are probably-well-not something I would have done a long time ago." James hummed as Trina bowed her head. "It's hard to know right from wrong anymore, I feel blinded, and I feel like God's turned his back."

"Something to understand, Trina." She looked up into his eyes as her heart started to sink. He placed his hand on her shoulder and swept his other hand slowly through the air. "God will never turn his back on you. He loves all his people, no matter how dark their hearts may be or how far away they may stray from him. He will always be waiting for you, so when you feel the time is right…no matter if it is today, tomorrow, or fifty years from now, He will _always_ be there waiting for you to come back."

"Truth be told, Pastor…I'm scared. Ever since Sinjin died, I just keep questioning-why? Why would He take him away from me? Why would he let bad men do bad things? Why, if he loved us so much, would he let us stray?" She began to tense as her eyes narrowed on the doors. "Is it God's 'just love', or are we all just some kind of sick joke that He created for laughs?"

"I assure you, we were not created for laughs, He has a purpose for all of us. Some choose to hear Him, and others choose not to. There is no easy answer, and sometimes 'Faith' and 'Prayer' can sound too simple to one's ears."

"I feel like I could keep praying on and on, and God will never hear me or answer me. I'm alone in this world, I see that now, and I know God will always be up there ignoring me. He took away the one person that I needed in this world, and now I have to send my sister to Baylor because if I don't, she might slip away too thanks to her criminal minded friends."

"Trina, God will always hear you. You have to open yourself up to his answers though, because he _does_ answer, but like I said, people can either hear or they won't hear. As for your sister and her friends, have faith and trust that your sister will be okay. She's a smart woman and whatever God wills for her to do, she will do."

"Yeah…I'm sure she's capable of anything…" There was no doubt in her mind about that. James took a deep breath and slowly stood up with her.

"Listen. You have the number to my office. If you ever need to talk, set an appointment and I will see you as soon as I can. All right?"

"Okay." She rubbed her forehead and exhaled as her family looked over to her. "Thanks for the talk, Pastor." As she met up with her family and left the church, she looked over to Andre's house. She only felt an empty feeling inside, nothing more. She turned away with a heavy sigh. Tori was already at the car, waving for her. Her lips curved into a tiny smile and she hurried over to the car.

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What do you think of it all?


	20. Warzone

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

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Chapter 20 (Warzone)

Trina drove over to Vivian's house after lunch. Her family typically drove to a nice restaurant after church and had lunch before heading home. Tori wanted her to stay a little bit longer, but she needed to check on some things first. Not to mention, after church, she really couldn't stomach being around her mother for too much longer.

When she entered Vivian's home, the woman greet her with a smile. "I made some marshmallow sandwiches for lunch if you want some," Vivian pointed to the plate of sandwiches on her counter. There had to be two or three there. "I'm only going to eat one…not sure why I made more."

"I was going to ask who would be eating them." She laughed and made her way over to the counter. "I just had some lunch, so I'm not really hungry, but I'll be more than happy to toss these in a Ziploc bag."

"Thanks." Trina grabbed the box of bags from a nearby drawer while Vivian made her way back to the counter. "How was church?"

"Weird and confusing. On one hand I know some of the things I'm doing are wrong and on another hand I keep doing them." Vivian smirked as Trina began bagging the sandwiches.

"I think you just defined every person on the face of the Earth." She chuckled softly as Vivian leaned over the counter. "We tried to warn you. Now you're a part of the gang, a citywide gang war just erupted against the Scrapperz, and there are going to be deaths." Vivian pushed off and walked around to Trina. "If your father doesn't get bumped up to Police Chief by the end of this war with the Scrapperz, I will be surprised. Not saying I don't want that for the man, but it will make things hell for all of the city gangs."

"I know. He's my dad, and at least he's better than Mom. I can't help but to be proud for him, no matter how negligent he seems." She actually wanted nothing more for him than to become Chief. "Reaching Chief of Police is his dream."

"Yeah, so maybe one day he'll be the Chief. He might wind up being a hero to this city than anything else." Trina felt her heart lift while imagining her father standing at the top of the town's highest point, just showing off his badge like a true hero. "You know Trina, maybe he's not as neglectful to his daughters as he might seem. He still seems to care, right?"

"I guess so. He did ask about Tori going off to Baylor."

"When are they leaving?" They walked to the living room and sat down on the vanilla couch. Trina folded her hands over her stomach and set her heels on the coffee table.

"A few weeks, maybe a month. Not sure, we can't seem to keep Beck away from them, so I'm thinking it might be sooner, if he tries anything." Vivian nodded and looked to the door. Trina bowed her head, remembering Beck gunning down Tiffany in the middle of that dark alley. "He took our friend away, we take his. Seems like a fair trade."

"The guys did come back to say Andre was taken care of. Hung him out his bedroom window after forcing him to write a short suicide note." Trina felt a bit of satisfaction, pleased in knowing that one problem was done with.

"At least he won't be yelling at Tori or Jade anymore. Although, I just know Beck's going to be pissed off. Who wouldn't be?"

"A sadist, maybe. Then again, I think we could easily classify Beck a sadist." Vivian rolled her head to the side and rubbed her neck. "By the way, while you were at church, one of Andrew's Lieutenants sent his warriors out to do an execution job of their own." Trina raised her eyebrows and leaned upright with eagerness. "One of the Scrapperz lieutenants was at his usual hangout. Parker. Andrew's men arrived and took him out, so the Scrapperz are down another leader. I know it isn't Beck, or anything, but it's another pillar of the Scrapperz knocked down." Vivian leaned back and sighed heavily. "The Cravens gang had a shootout with some of the Scrapperz soldiers down on Grant Street."

"Grant? That's the Cravens territory, right?"

"Yes. Five Scrapperz soldiers walked in and started to gun down a few people, including one of the Cravens. So the other Cravens on the street came out and began to fight back. Pretty soon a few officers, the five Scrapperz, and a couple of the Cravens were dead…"

"Officers? Police got involved?" Surprise wrapped around her words as her breath started to hitch. It seems obvious that police would get involved, but at the same time, she never expected that they would just jump into the middle of a gang war. Vivian frowned and scratched at her fingernail.

"Yes, about three officers on the street tried to break up the gang fight. Word is that two of those three were gunned down while the other escaped with a gunshot wound in his side." If this didn't make her father crack down harder on gang warfare, she didn't know what would. Although it did give her an idea for how to make him that much harder on the Scrapperz. She started to smirk and Vivian studied her sly expression.

"What are you thinking?"

"That I could make my mother and her boyfriend useful…" Vivian raised an eyebrow at her. Trina's phone started to go off, interrupting her train of thought. When she answered, almost immediately she her sister was talking at a frantic pace. She pulled the phone from her ear for a second then set it back. "Tori, relax."

"I can't relax!" Tori cried out. "It's Andre! He's dead, Trina, he's dead!" She frowned as Tori continued to sob.

"What happened?"

Her sister sniffled in response, then blew her nose into a tissue. "He killed himself…Trina, why would Andre want to do that?" She didn't expect Tori not to be upset, she knew her sister would be no matter how cruel Andre had been.

"Just try to relax if you can, I'll be there in a minute."

"O-Okay…hurry." She put her phone up and looked to Vivian with a slight shrug. Comforting her sister came first before anything else, everyone knew that. It was almost hard to believe, but most everyone in the Black Knights knew what Tori was to her and knew the girl came first before anyone or anything else.

"Take it easy Trina. We'll discuss the Scrapperz later."

Consoling Tori didn't take too long at all. Tori said a little prayer for Andre so his soul would rest in peace, had her moment of silence and let Trina talk her into playing a card game to relax.

At this point, she was reacting to a distress call from one of the warriors, the Scrapperz were vandalizing part of the Knights' turf around the Hollywood Arts high school. When she arrived, she saw about eight yellow shirted Scrapperz and five of her warriors. More scrappers were coming towards the school, as the warrior calling confirmed upon hearing recruits had been called out. "Scrapperz are getting feisty today." She removed her gun and ran up to a large crate where one of her fighters was crouched.

"They're trying to take the turf!" Trina ducked as a gunshot ricocheted off the wooden crate. She clenched her jaw and rose up, firing off a shot that struck one of the Scrapperz. A jolt of pain rushed through her as she crouched back into position. Her heart began to race and her eyes drifted to the now fallen gang member. He may not have been the first life she took, but as she watched the blood flow out of his body, she couldn't shake the nauseating feeling in her gut. "Trina what do we do?"

"Keep fighting. I already called in for reinforcements. Who's leading this charge?"

"We're not sure, they're all just early initiatives, I think." Initiatives wouldn't pose too much of a threat since they were inexperienced. If they were already calling recruits and causing the Knight _warriors_ to call for backup, someone strong had to be behind them. She scanned the perimeter, but couldn't see anyone she recognized.

"Do you know if any are in the school?" She was wondering if Beck was behind this or not. If not, then it would have to be either the last remaining lieutenant or the leader himself. "I'm going to try and get inside. Jesse's already sending Vivian, Roger, and Andrew along with their lieutenants. We're going to put an end to this turf war before it gets too out of hand."

The thing was, they could not afford to lose Hollywood Arts, this territory was one of their biggest strongholds and if it was lost, they'd lose a considerable amount of revenue.

Trina made a mad dash for one of the tables, crouching low to keep out of sight. Every so often she'd raise up and fire a couple shots at the Scrapperz, then continue her beeline for the school's open doors. It took her nearly fifteen minutes to get inside, and when she did, she was breathing heavily and looking over her shoulder every few seconds to make certain she wasn't followed.

"Okay, I don't see anyone in the school. Vivian should be arriving shortly with the other lieutenants and captains…" She pressed up against a locker when she heard voices coming from around the corner. Her was close to her chest and her heart pounded furiously as she tried to figure out who was talking. Of course one voice was instantly recognizable, causing her heart to still.

"I will give you whatever it is you want, just let me free." Begged Mr. Sikowitz. "I don't have much, I'm just a teacher here trying to make it day by day. What do you want?"

"I want you to shut up." Trina poked her head around the corner to size up whoever it was that was talking. She saw the teacher on his knees in a true hostage situation. The man standing with him had his back facing her. His skin was tanned and his hair fell past his shoulders like black silk. Instantly she recognized him from the photo, the leader of the Scrapperz himself. Phil.

Her phone vibrated in her pocket and she quickly ducked back against the wall. Vivian texted her to let her know her team had just arrived, so Trina furiously texted back to let her know that not only was she inside the school, but that Phil himself was here and had Mr. Sikowitz hostage.

She poked her head back around the corner, wincing as she listened to the teacher continue begging while Phil routinely checked to make sure no one was around. She contemplated killing Phil. On one hand if she killed him, Beck would take role as the new boss of the Scrapperz, officially making him the most dangerous gang leader to walk the streets, but if she didn't kill Phil then Beck would remain in place, yet Sikowitz would be murdered!

Then there was the fact that if Phil lived, since he was clearly in charge of this assault on the turf, he would win the territory war. Unless he gave up, and assuming he was as bad as Beck, he surely would not give up the school.

Her heart ached more when Jesse texted, having heard the situation from Vivian. He asked her what she was going to do, whether she was going to get the teacher out and kill Phil, or leave Sikowitz to die so that Beck would not become the leader of the Scrapperz gang.

"Please! Have mercy!" Sikowitz put his arms over his head as Phil started to point his gun towards the man. Phil spoke with a low growl and sharp growl.

"I can't leave witnesses behind, and frankly your sniveling is getting on my nerves." Trina bit her lower lip and moved her head back against the wall, groaning as her stomach churned with disgust.

She had to take the shot, even if it made Beck the most dangerous man in Las Angeles. It wasn't worth letting Sikowitz die, or even losing the school. "Fuck it," She turned the corner and crouched on one knee while carefully aiming for Phil. Sikowitz's eyes widened when he spotted her, and Phil slowly looked over his shoulder. "Hey Phil. Back the fuck away from my sister's teacher. I'm giving you this one chance to call off your men and get away alive…"

"Fuck you!" Phil pulled the hammer back on his gun and snapped his arm back to Sikowitz. Before he could get to the trigger, Trina pulled on her own and fired a bullet into the back of his head. She frowned as the man fell back to the ground.

"Even Beck wouldn't have been that stupid." Sikowitz stood up, shaking tremendously as he met Trina's eyes. Jesse and Vivian came running up behind her, both holding smoking guns of their own, there were several soldiers with them. Vivian stared down at Phil. Trina closed her eyes and pointed to Vivian. "Mr. Sikowitz, Vivian will take you to safety. Also, remember, you didn't see me."

"R-Right." Vivian put her arm around the teacher's shoulders and carefully led him out with her guards. Trina's jaw locked up and she pushed her gun into her holster, sighing heavily.

"Looks like I just gave Beck a promotion, Jesse." Her anger rose and her fists clenched. "The one person in the world that should be dead right now and not in control of an entire gang, and I just handed him the entire Scrapperz gang!" She felt his hand on her shoulder and looked up to his eyes.

"You made the right decision, though. You said Mr. Sikowitz was your sister's favorite teacher, right?"

"Yeah…formerly."

"Andre's dead, do you think Tori wants to hear her favorite teacher was killed in a gang fight? You saved the man's life. There's another thing too, you're not as far gone as you think you are. You could have let Phil shoot the man first, then try to negotiate a surrender on his part to prevent Beck from snagging the leadership."

"Didn't feel like it would be right to do that, but it just made Beck that much harder to kill. Bosses don't come out much…"

"Even still, we'll get the upper hand." Her eyes started to mist and she quickly shook the water away from her eyes. Jesse gave her a warm smile and motioned for her. "Come on, let's get moving. You did well here. The Scrapperz have lost a fight today. We should celebrate."

"Fair enough." She followed him to the doors, satisfied with their win. Regardless of the aftermath, the Scrapperz lost their top guy, there was truly no greater thing that could have happened than that. Aside from Sikowitz being able to live his life, of course.

"Now what's this plan you have for your mom and this cop boyfriend of hers?"

She blanked out for a second, then remembered what he was talking about. "Plan. Right. I'm going to get my dad to crack down that much harder on the Scrapperz…but I haven't developed a plan yet. It's just a thought at the moment."

"All right, fair enough. By the way, are you at all worried about how Beck will react to Andre's death? After all, the man was his best friend, wasn't he?"

"Beck can get over it. He wouldn't try anything at this point. If he did, he'd probably try and go after me, thinking I had something to do with it, but as far as he knows-Andre killed himself. Also, I've got Robbie addicted to drugs."

"Right-I was informed that he picked up some heroin today, at the suggestion of the dealer." Trina chuckled darkly at the mention of the harder substance. Just as planned, Robbie was on a downward spiral. "What is your plan for him?"

"He's a guy that needs to have something to depend on. It's Beck I'm more concerned with at this point, I don't need to monitor Robbie. He'll self destruct all on his own, knowing that kid. I just don't need Beck around my sister."

"Right." They stopped at the door and Jesse glanced at Phil's body. Trina glanced at Phil and scrunched her nose as Jesse turned away. "Something tells me Beck won't be around your sister for a while, he may be more concerned with trying to rebuild the Scrapperz while in the midst of a war."

"I hope you're right, because I might just lose it if he tries anything."

"I wouldn't blame you if you did."

* * *

Well let me know your thoughts.


	21. The Workaholic Father

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 21 (The Workaholic Father)

Walking into her father's study, she found him working furiously on paperwork. His hand was scratching through his messy hair, and his eyes glared out from the bags underneath his eyelids. His pen was flying across the page as he counted casualties and muttered under his breath. "Dad? Have you been working through the night? Tori says she hasn't seen much of you since Sunday." David continued grumbling, barely taking a break to look up.

"For some reason every gang in the city has taken up fighting in the streets. This Scrapperz gang seems to be behind it. I think they're antagonizing the other gangs, and because of that, we're losing people in the police department as well as innocent civilians." He dropped his pen and tucked his finger beneath his chin. "Maybe I haven't focused hard enough on the source of the problem, here."

"Maybe you need to go down on the Scrapperz a little harder. Start taking out their leaders and everything."

"That's what your sister's telling me. Unfortunately there's not much I can do right now. So long as Warren isn't seeing an issue, but I don't see how he can see one when he's tied to a hospital bed every day now." Warren was the current Chief, and the city should ask him to step down. "I'm telling you when I'm in charge, these gangs are going to receive a shit storm from me."

"Why not just give the Scrapperz hell now? Also, you're tense, let me give you a back massage like I did when I was a kid." David chuckled and shrugged as Trina began to carefully massage his shoulders. "They're weak now, right? The Scrapperz are down to the bare bone."

"They haven't made any direct assault on police officers, but officers and civilians are getting caught up in their fights. That's the problem." He slouched his shoulders and leaned back in the chair, sighing heavily as he tapped his fingertips together. "If I could get the jump on them and find some way to arrest their boss, that would be a good way to take them out. We have one of the lieutenants, but I do not know who the higher three are." He rubbed his forehead, running his finger along the crease as he shut his eyes. "That's what I'm trying to figure out."

"Must be difficult." She pressed down on a tight spot around his collarbone and looked over his head at the notes on his paperwork. She wished that she could tell him the current boss was dead, and Beck was going to be stepping into place. Not only would telling him not help matters, but he'd want to know how she knew. She was nowhere near ready to tell her father she was a part of a gang. "What about the other gangs? What do you have on them? Like the Black Knights, or even the Cravens."

"LA is full of gangs." She pulled her hands away from his neck and shoulders. He turned his chair to face her and rubbed his neck, sighing as he cracked his head towards the right. "Thanks for that. Anyway, there are nearly fifty gangs in LA, both large and small. The Black Knights, we know are among the largest gang in LA At the same time, they keep pretty well under the radar. The department doesn't have a lot in the way of crimes linked to them, though I'm sure there are plenty."

"They sound like any other gang." Except with a little more community, although all gangs had some semblance of community. "Though, biggest?"

"No, this El Sangre gang is the biggest. They are also the most involved gang in LA. Their signs are everywhere. Graffiti, vandalism, burglaries, drug dealers. It could be that they overshadow these Knights. The Cravens gang is a lot in the same way, they're smart and well reserved to their own place. They're dangerous killers, my department has lost many good officers because of them, but now…now it looks like these Scrapperz are quickly taking that place. Or at least-they're becoming a great thorn in my side." He turned back to his desk and started to shuffle through his papers.

Trina folded her arms and felt a strong sense of sorrow, or at least pity, in the sense that her father had to struggle with this. The man knew everything there was to know about these gangs and he couldn't really act. At the same time, she didn't want him to act against the Knights. She was both hoping he'd become the Chief and scared of his rise to that position. "You'll get them Dad, I know you will."

"I just want this city to be a safe place." He leaned upright and gazed up to a framed photo on the wall. Trina's eyes lifted and her breath disappeared from her lungs as her heart came to a stop. It was a picture of her with Tori as young girls building a sandcastle on the beach. David and Holly were knelt behind them and smiling at the cameraman as the girls laughed. "The streets were safe when you girls were young. Sure gangs were here then, but not like they are today. Not this violent, this bad. The minute those gangs affect my family…is when they'll have an enemy out of me."

"You already are, you're focusing so much on them…overworking yourself and distancing yourself from me, from Tori…"

"I know." He rubbed his left temple and groaned softly. "I don't know that they haven't already affected my family in one way or another, that's why I'm focusing so much on them Trina." Her heart sank as David lifted his eyes to her. "Your sister wants to join the police force. She's doing a lot of studying on gangs as well, maybe she'll continue the fight."

"No one person has ever managed to get rid of every single gang."

"And probably no one ever will. But if they can be minimized, if the streets can be safe again, isn't it better for all of us than where we're at now?"

"Maybe, but maybe it's not just the gangs. Dangerous people are always out there, Dad." He raised an eyebrow and Trina let her shoulders fall. "Ross wasn't a part of any gang…and look what happened, just because he couldn't get what he wanted." David frowned. His eyes dropped for a second and his facial expression seemed to tense.

"I am sorry about what happened, Trina. I know I haven't really been there for you since Sinjin passed away."

"You're not usually."

"I do care. That's why I work so hard. So that the city can be safe for you and your sister." Trina smiled weakly and shrugged at him. She had no idea what to say, or what could be said.

"It's appreciated, all the hard work you do, but it's sometimes not enough. You just let mom run around and do whatever she wants, you obviously don't watch Tori's friends well enough, and you didn't even complain when I moved out of the house."

"You wanted me to complain?" He looked at her with skepticism. Trina threw out her hands while he simply leaned back and set his hands on his abdomen.

"I don't know! Something, _anything_. You didn't even ask about who I was staying with."

"You're going to be turning twenty-one in a few months, Trina. You're more than old enough to make your own decisions." He stood up, towering above her. She started to shrink as David looked into her eyes. "I didn't think you would want me to say anything. So I didn't. You've always been the independent one, Trina. Always one to make your decisions no matter what I, or your mother said. When you wanted to go to Hollywood Arts, we said no at first, but you were so intent on going that you went and applied anyway…we said no to you going into martial arts at first because we didn't want you getting hurt, but again, you went on anyway. All your life, we've watched you grow into someone who sets her own way and damn anyone who tries to get in her way. We may have acted like we looked after Tori more, and in a way, we did because she wasn't as independent as you. She was always the one easily influenced and clinging to someone whenever she needed something." Tears formed at her eyes and a chuckle fell from her lips as she quickly swept her tears away. "You had free reign because that's just who you are. We let you decide what you were going to do for college, and if you were ready to move out and found someone willing to take you in, then okay. That's your decision. My only question is, is it with a man or a woman, and have I met them?"

"Just a friend from my college. It is a guy, but he respects boundaries." David pressed his lips together and studied her for a second. "And yes, I'm still in college…" He folded his arms and smirked.

"I know, I'm still paying your tuition." Typically it took four years from the time of high school graduation to get a bachelors, she already had her associates and would get her bachelors when she was twenty-two. Jesse told her she should stick it through college, that not everyone who joins a gang stays out of college, though a lot of times they find it easier to just stop studying and focus on living the life of a gang. "So your roommate is a guy. I haven't met him either, have I?"

"I don't think so…Tori has."

"Oh. I see." She studied his expression for a minute and bowed her head.

"You choose now to start giving a damn. I'll call him over for dinner…"

"Okay. I'll get back to work." Trina walked to the door and glanced over her shoulder as David sat down. "And I never stopped giving a damn."

Later for dinner, Trina prepared a roast chicken with broccoli and cauliflower. Tori prepared the mashed potatoes and gravy. Trina invited both Vivian and Jesse so that her dad could see one her friends was a female, even though he should know by now that she always had more guy friends than female. Men were easier to deal with usually. "I can't believe Dad wants to meet your friends," Tori set the plates on the table and looked up with a growing smirk. "Too bad mom's not here."

"Eh, I'd rather her not be here anyway. She'd just make things worse." Knowing her dad was well versed in the city gangs was a bit of a scary thought, but she knew the man didn't know who any of the Knights' higher ups were. He wouldn't recognize Jesse or Vivian. "Besides, I'm sure mom would rather do whatever with her boyfriend right now. You make sure none of your friends are coming over?"

"Yeah…Robbie's not feeling well and Beck is-well Jade says Beck's throwing a shit fest or something. So he's busy. It's hard for me to still want to think of Andre and realize that he's gone…I don't even know why he'd want to do that to himself. He never said anything."

"They never do…" She hated having to lie, but it was better this way after all. "If they want help they'll tell someone." Suicide was no laughing matter, especially when she herself had considered it. Had she not met Jesse or Vivian and Tiffany, she probably wouldn't even be here. "You know something I haven't told you, because I didn't want to scare you…"

"What?"

"Jesse and Vivian, they saved me. In a way." Tori frowned. Trina moved the chicken to the center of the table and looked up to the door. "That night, they were the ones there for me when I was at my lowest." Her sister moved her hands to her hips and gazed at her with a detectable sadness in her eyes.

"You…you wanted to die?"

"It was a dark point. I'd lost Sinjin, been beaten by his killer, and emotionally battered by your friends…I didn't think there was much point for me to go on." Tori walked over and hugged her neck, catching her off guard.

"Trina. I could lose Andre, Robbie, Beck, hell even Jade…Mom, Dad, anyone in the entire world-but if something happened to you…I don't know what I'd do. I need you. You're my big sister and I'd be lost without you. Even going to Baylor, I'm _scared_ because I know you won't be there with me, but I know I'll be able to talk to you through emails, phone calls, but if I didn't have some way to talk to you-I would be lost completely."

"You'd make it just fine, Tori. I know you would."

"Well I don't know that. Just…if you ever start to think like that, let me know. Okay?"

Trina smiled and hugged her back, "Don't worry. I will." The doorbell rang and Tori instantly pulled away. "I guess that's Jesse and Vivian." They made their way to the door and Trina opened it up, happy to see the two waiting on the porch. "Good to see you guys."

"So your dad decided he wanted to meet us?" Vivian raised an eyebrow and smiled politely. "Or well…" She smirked and let her eyelids fall halfway as she turned to Jesse. "Meet Jesse." Jesse rolled his eyes and shot back a look at Vivian.

"It's nothing like that."

"Oh but fathers get the wrong idea sometimes."

Trina cleared her throat and led the two inside. "I told him Jesse respects boundaries, and so do I." Jesse nodded and moved to the couch with Vivian and Tori. Trina turned around and saw her dad making his way into the living room. He had his police officer uniform on and gave off a strong appearance. This caused her some amount of nervousness, but nothing she couldn't deal with. "Hey dad. Meet Jesse and Vivian." The duo rose up and Jesse extended his hand, politely smiling as David shook it in return.

"It is good to meet you two, Trina has not told me much about you. I hope she has said good things about me." David laughed lightly and motioned to the table. "I'm hungry, so let's sit down and eat, shall we? The girls prepared the meal."

David walked to the head of the table. Trina sat on his right and Tori straight across from her. Jesse sat down beside Trina while Vivian took her seat next to Tori, leaving open the seat across from David.

"Thank you for inviting us to your home, sir." Jesse spoke calmly and cordially, which Trina greatly appreciated. She admired him for his respect, since it couldn't be easy to respect her father when she always wrote him off as a workaholic who didn't give a shit about his family. "You've brought up a great family."

"Thank you." David served everyone their food and stopped after Vivian's plate. "Trina has not said much of you. You're Vivian? Are you also rooming with them?" Vivian shook her head and Trina frowned, she wasn't sure if her dad would want to hear that she did room with them or that she didn't.

"No sir, I have my own place. I'm just a close friend."

"I see. Do you go to the same college as these two?"

"No, but I am a childhood friend to Jesse." In a way it was true, though they didn't hang out as children or anything like that. They met when they were kids, passed by each other in their junior high school and maybe said hello once or twice, but that was the extent of their friendship.

"I see. Jesse, what about you? How did you meet my daughter, in class?" Jesse forked his chicken and took a bite, chewing carefully as though contemplating his response. Trina held her breath, hovering her fork and knife over her plate.

They _did_ actually attend the same college, so that was a plus. Though Jesse was technically finished, he still took a course every now and then, and usually online. "No sir we did not meet in class. We met when she was walking past Hollywood Arts one night, I was visiting a younger friend there and saw her walking by in the rain and was concerned she'd get sick."

"Ah, well that's good of you." Trina let go of her breath and grabbed a bite of her food. "What do you study?"

"Business management. I own my own restaurant, sir." Jesse spooned his mashed potatoes. David lifted his eyebrows, impressed with him. "Trina was going through a rough patch when she lost her boyfriend and was looking for a place to stay, she didn't have money, so I offered to let her stay in my guest room a while."

"That's noble of you. I'm glad my daughter has too good friends. I can't always be there to make sure they're hanging around good people or not…" That was the understatement of the year in Trina's mind. After all, if he only looked that much harder at Beck, he'd see just how dangerous a man he was. "I do know that one of Tori's friends has been getting into arguments with Trina, but my girls don't tell me much."

"You know about that?" Trina inquired.

Tori swallowed her food and nodded at her, "I told Dad that Beck had been arguing a lot with you because you don't like him and he doesn't like you. Dad knows he's getting a little aggressive."

"I know he's also getting possessive," David cut a piece of his chicken and flicked his eyes up to the others. "Which, to my understanding, is one of the reasons Jade's going to Baylor with Tori, Cat, and Cat's roommate."

"He's not an easy man to get away from, Dad. It isn't like you can just arrest him either, because he hasn't actually done anything…Besides, I don't want him arrested, neither does Jade, because she's afraid he'll just get more violent with her."

"I could arrest him if I wanted to. Give me a reason, motive and opportunity, and he'll be in a jail cell. I just can't promise how long he'd be in for. I know I've been busy focusing on these gangs and the Scrapperz that it seems like I'm neglecting you two, but don't just write me off and not talk to me when you need something. I will try and be there if I can be. Maybe I'm not father of the year, but I can certainly try. If you don't want me arresting Beck, I can at least forbid him from entering the house, but that's a conversation for another time. We have guests."

"You sound experienced with fathers," Trina whispered to Jesse. He chuckled softly and whispered back.

"Sasha's dad was an Army Colonel who would routinely ask me over for dinner, if that says anything about my past relationship with fathers." Trina stifled a laugh and pushed a bite of broccoli into her mouth. She was astonished by Jesse's experience, but grateful for it at the same time. Sinjin was the only other man she'd ever brought around her house that wasn't intimidated by her father. There was something to be said about that quality in a man.

As for her father, maybe it would be a good idea to give him another look. She knew now that he was already keeping an eye on Beck, so what would happen if he knew Beck was in the Scrapperz? He needed a closer look on the Scrapperz, but he also needed a closer look on Beck.

Tori's phone went off and she quickly excused herself to answer. Trina watched her sister's face twist into anger and pain as she quickly hung up and went silently to her food. "That was mom, accidentally dialed." Trina frowned and looked over to Vivian, who'd been within earshot of the phone. Vivian shook her head and returned to the phone. It was obvious what had been happening on the other end of that phone call.

Trina shoved a bite of chicken past her lips and narrowed her eyes. Now it was official, the plan she had in mind for her mother was on.

* * *

Tell me what you thought of this chapter, and I shall now give you the next because I am feeling generous since school is starting up tomorrow


	22. To Take a Life

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 22 (To Take a Life)

"Are you sure about this?" Vivian followed Trina to Officer Gary Norris's apartment, ducking under the window with her. She had a couple warriors that were scanning the perimeter of the home. "What is this going to do?"

"Make my mother useful and stop tearing apart the family." Trina examined her gloves and narrowed her eyes as she studied the gun in her hand. Vivian had a yellow can of spray paint, while the other Knights were setting up the scene with markings that would make it obvious this was a hit by the Scrapperz. One of the clues was a letter intercepted off a dead Scrapperz member in regards to a hit they were to perform, conveniently signed by Beck himself and directed to an unnamed woman who had been sleeping around with an officer. It was a different woman, but the letter was strong enough to make anyone think he was referring to Holly.

"After this, Beck will probably go into hiding for a while, Vivian. It wouldn't surprise me, but it will keep him from coming around for a while. Plus, I'm tired of dealing with my mother's affair. If she dies here, if Officer Norris dies here, Dad will focus that much harder on the Scrapperz and on Beck."

There was also no way this could be traced back to her. Even still, she had an alibi that would be more than rock solid. Her alibi was simply that she was studying with Jesse at the mansion. As long as everything went according to plan, this entire situation would be linked directly to the Scrapperz. As for Beck, there was motive: David knew he was aggressive and wanted to hurt the family. There was opportunity: He was clearly a part of a violent gang that was currently at war and on the bad side with the police.

"Let's move then," Vivian sighed. Trina knew the woman's concern, and she didn't feel right about doing this either, but her anger was too overwhelming to defeat. She had to watch her mother destroy the very fabric of the family for years, whoring around like a common slut, and more than anything, she saw how it affected Tori. It hurt Tori, broke her heart to see her mother doing this to their father.

"This isn't just about the Scrapperz or Beck, Vivian. You understand…"

"I know."

Trina poked her head up and gazed through the window. Her stomach clenched when she saw Holly and Gary in the middle of having sex, or at the very least, they were rolling around beneath the covers. She pulled down and moved her hand over her eyes, rubbing her temples with her finger and thumb. "They're too preoccupied, we'll be able to walk right in." Vivian frowned at her and looked to the canister.

Every time a Scrapperz member performed a hit, they had to let it be known they were behind it. It was how they got their name out. So with every hit, the Scrapperz would mark a giant yellow S and Z on a nearby wall and frame it with a yellow zig-zag line. It was easy to mimic.

Even the Scrapperz wouldn't know what gang did this, if they thought one had. They may think one of their own did the hit because of the outstanding clues, so it could potentially damage them internally as well. "Mother doesn't know how important and crucial she's about to become. A sacrifice for the destruction of the worst gang in LA. She might be remembered a whore, but at least Dad will be remembered a hero."

"The eternal struggle of good and bad, I suppose."

"Yeah…a part of me says not to go through with this, but at the same time…I can't stand to see my sister hurt anymore. I can't stand to see Beck not getting his ass kicked where he deserves it. I'm sick of seeing all the injustice people get. This isn't about Ross, it isn't about Sinjin, but in a way it is. Sinjin, Andre's grandmother, Tori, and just about every other victim out there that didn't get the justice they deserved."

"Still, it's criminal. Crime is…hard to turn away from, and the more you do it, the more you sink in. That's what Jesse and Sasha were trying to get away from, that life of crime. Something Sasha wanted more than anything, something Jesse wanted for her, to live a normal life away from all this criminal activity. Nobody wins, Trina. Everyone loses."

She winced and moved her hand to her stomach, sighing heavily. "I have to do this, Vivian." It was hard enough that she had to push down her emotions in her own mind, hearing it come from Vivian made it nearly impossible to go forward.

"I know you do…I'm right here with you no matter what, so we're in this together." The two carefully entered the house, amazed that Gary wouldn't have though to lock the door. Trina could hear her mother all the way in the front room, so she had to tune it out before she let the urge to vomit defeat her.

"Okay, follow me." They made their way to the hallway and looked back as the warriors entered with clues to the Scrapperz. The one with the letter dropped it as if it fell from his pocket. She smirked confidently and continued through the house. Her mother and Gary had stopped what they were doing and were now cuddling together on the bed.

Trina hugged the wall with her back and took a deep breath, shuddering as her body started to tremble. She could hear Sinjin's voice as if he were standing right beside her, telling her to turn around. To go back.

She swallowed hard and tensed her body as she slowly stepped into doorway. She clutched the pistol with both hands and carefully aimed it towards Gary's back. He was on top of Holly, kissing her passionately on the lips. "Gary honey," Holly said breathlessly, "Do you hear something?" He pulled back from her and shook his head.

"No."

The bile in Trina shot up and she started to lower the gun, revolted at the sight. She watched Gary kiss her mother's neck and grimaced when her mom threw her head back. "Fuck this." Trina pulled back on the trigger and a shot rang out. Her eyes widened as blood splattered the walls and her mother let out a shrill scream. Holly's eyes fell onto Trina just as Gary's body rolled onto the floor. He was in his boxers and a white t-shirt, much to Trina's relief. Holly's hand flew to her mouth as tears welled up in her eyes.

"Trina?! What are you doing!"

"Busy being pissed off! What the hell do you think?" Trina took a step forward, aiming the gun for her mother. "I'm sick of you sleeping around on Dad, hurting Tori and destroying the family."

"Wha-wait!" Holly waved her hands in the air, chuckling nervously. "Please dear, I'm your mother."

"You're not my mother. You may have given birth to me, but that means nothing. All you are is a filthy whore who doesn't understand the value of family-you don't even respect your own marriage!"

"You don't understand. A woman has certain needs…"

"Oh no. I understand perfectly!" Trina pulled the hammer back and narrowed her eyes. "But a mother has responsibilities. A wife has responsibilities. Neither of which you fulfilled. I can safely say if Sinjin and I ever married, I would have been able to be both! I don't care how much of a workaholic dad is, you should never have started screwing someone else!"

"Now Trina-don't you think you're blowing this a little out of proportion?" Holly looked to the gun and swallowed heavily. "Now what did Gary do?"

"Destroyed my family. He should never have slept with another man's wife in the first place. I don't know what planet you come from mom, but here on earth, we respect family and marriages." Trina rolled her head to the side and started to scowl. "I guess it's not a complete waste, mom…you're still useful."

Holly exhaled slowly and put her hand to her chest, smiling. "See dear? I knew if we just talked, we could reach a consensus. Now don't worry baby, we can tell your father someone else broke in and shot Gary." Now she was suggesting involving David in this crime? How absurd was this woman?

"Seriously?" She rolled her eyes and growled. "There is already someone else being pinned to this. Your death, as well as the death of Officer Norris will cause Dad to crack down harder on the Scrapperz gang." Holly's jaw dropped and Trina pulled the trigger, shooting her mother in the heart.

The woman fell back against the headboard and let her head fall to her chest. Just then, Vivian and the other knights came in to leave further clues and put up the Scrapperz tag in the bedroom. Trina lowered her gun and stared at her mother's body, pushing down the bile and grief inside. Vivian looked at her with concern and started to reach out, but she pulled away.

"Trina. Are you…are you going to be all right?"

"I'm fine. I…need some air…" She choked up and hurried from the bedroom, leaving Vivian to finish up the work.

By the time she reached the mansion, her cheeks were stained with streaks of tears, and her heart was pounding with the force and speed of a jackhammer. She took Jesse, who was in the living room, by surprise as she ran to him and began to sob. He hesitated for a second before reaching around and patting her back. "Trina? Are you all right?"

"I didn't think-didn't think I'd do it…I couldn't take it. I killed her. I went through with it." She tried to speak through her blubbering, hoping he could understand her. "Why? Why does it hurt?"

"It's probably better that it does. Like it or not, she was your mother. It's up to you to figure out if taking her life was worth what it's going to do to the Scrapperz, Beck, or even your father and sister. None of them may ever know it was you, but you're always going to know." Nothing could have prepared her for this, and surely nothing could have prepared her for how shitty she'd feel after.

"I didn't feel this way after Ross, or after shooting Phil. I mean, I felt bad, but this…this is different…"

"Well, Holly was your mother whether or not she was a bad person for having an affair. You may have been angry at her but not the same way you were angry at Ross for what he did, and Phil…you shot him to protect that teacher. The situation was different." She buried her eyes on his shoulder and struggled to stop her trembling or anxious tears.

"I can't focus. I can barely breathe, Jesse."

"I know. Sasha was the same way." He pulled back and guided her over to the couch.

"How am I supposed to understand that I just killed my mother?"

"You don't, that's the hard part about it…" She hugged herself and moved her hand to her forehead, groaning softly as Jesse pat her shoulder. "Just lay back, turn on something funny, or a cartoon…I'm making some soup right now."

"Soup sounds great…" She wiped her eyes and turned on the television, sighing heavily. "I'm sorry I'm getting like this."

"Don't be. It'll be okay. Just…I'm here for you, all right?"

"Thanks." She waited as Jesse walked to the kitchen, then looked over her shoulder with a subtle frown. "Hey Jesse?"

"Yes?"

"If I ever lose it, if I ever go crazy. You…You'd put me down, right?" After a few seconds, he appeared in the doorway, watching her with a frown of his own. Maybe it was selfish of her to ask him that, but would he even be able to do it? Surely he would, no one else would.

"I'd rather you didn't ask me to make that choice..."

"I don't know who else would…" She sniffled and returned to the television. Maybe it was too much to ask of him, but either way, she didn't know what the right thing to say was. "I don't know how to cope with this…I just can't…"

* * *

So Mrs. Vega is dead, the scrapperz are framed, and it hit Trina pretty hard what she'd done. Beck will not be happy though, because he knows this means he'll have to lay low due to that note.


	23. Always a Balance

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N: updates will now be moving to nights. FOR THE GUEST: Ah man you need to get an account so I can do this through messaging XD. All right, yes Trina's getting deep, but something to bear in mind. What happened to Andre, what happened to Robbie and what's happening with Beck are _NOT_ because they may have humiliated Trina in the past. If she was doing this because of humiliation, she'd be going after Jade too. (On second thought no she wouldn't, because of Tori).

Also no matter what she does, Tori will always love her, there is a reason for this: Tori is that saving grace, and right now, the one bit of light for her Not to mention, sisters. There is a definite reason for Tori's purpose and her path in life. So keep bearing that in mind as the story goes along, Tori will become EXTREMELYimportant to not only Trina's redemption/salvation, but to LA. I can't spoil what will happen, but bear that in mind.

No matter what happens, Trina will have to live with the things she does,what she did will cause that amount of pain. A great deal of pain for Trina. However I will be honest: Holly is Trina's last non-gang related life she takes, and as for taking a life-there is only one other life she will take, and that will be quite some time into the future. You'll see why that is due to the conversation in this chapter and so on. Again, Andre/Robbie/Beck are NOT due to prior humiliation. They're do to Trina feeling they're a threat to Tori (especially Beck), and on part yes due to her own sense of justice.

Okay because I updated this early (and had to put this chapter up to respond to the guest while my response was fresh on my mind), I'm not going to be updating AL tomorrow night. I'll try and update a different story. Possibly Seeking Origins, possibly Estrangement (assuming I can get this chapter done after classes tomorrow).

* * *

Chapter 23 (Always a Balance)

Trina took a plate and bowl offered by Jesse and sat up on the couch as he sat down on the cushion next to her and leaned against the arm rest. She spooned the hot beef and chicken soup and let the steam waft up to her nostrils, pulling her nerves into a relaxed state. "How are you feeling?"

"Not any better than I was when I got back here." She pointed to the television and scowled. "Not even the Looney Toons are helping me." Jesse smiled at her for a second and turned to the show. "It's the Rabbit season-duck season thing. I used to find it hilarious when I was a little girl."

"I remember when Tiny Toons was playing on Nick back in the 90s." Her eyes lit up as she fondly recalled Babs and Buster Bunny, and the whole gang of one of her childhood favorite cartoon.

"Oh my god I loved them! I still remember the theme song by heart." She scooped up the soup and hummed the tune while sipping the soup from the spoon.  
"I loved a lot of those old shows. Rugrats, Clarissa, Doug was all right, Rocko's Modern Life…Oh I miss those days." She chuckled at the screen as Bugs and Daffy fought over a rifle. "I was just surprised they had Looney Toons airing right now. Most stuff they have out there today sucks."

"I know. It makes me question if all the animators are on drugs or something." She spooned another bit of her soup.

"They may very well be. With the cartoons that are out there today, almost all of them look like shit now. I don't expect to see the quality of Recess or the Saturday Morning Cartoons my sister and I grew up watching." Jesse hung his elbow over the armrest and curled his fingers at his left temple, watching her for a second before looking towards the television.

"You and your sister do seem very close. She's dependent on you, not hard to see."

"Well I'm always looking out for her. It's a childhood thing though."

"Care to talk about it?"

Trina peered at her soup, studying the chunks of food to distract herself from the full childhood memory. "We were vacationing at this lake. Tori didn't know how to swim yet and still went out to the deep end. I dove in after her when I didn't see her coming up. I pulled Tori out of that lake and she's always clung to me, fearful of water and other things." She set the plate and bowl to her lap and pulled her head back, chuckling sadly. "It's may sound kind of silly, but she won't even take a full body bath. Only showers ever since then.

"I wouldn't say it's silly, it makes plenty of sense. You think she's going to be okay going off to Baylor without you?"

"She'll make it. She always finds a way to make it through life if she can. Besides, she's going to have Jade there, as well as Sam and Cat. I'm not so worried about her meeting the wrong people in that case."

"How about you?"

"What about me?"

"Are you going to be all right with her going off to Baylor?" Her heart tugged from her chest and her head started to bow as her eyes drifted to the side. She didn't know how she'd feel, but of course she would miss Tori. It was going to break her heart to see her sister gone.

"It's better this way for her. I'll miss her, I know I will. But this is me trying to save her from a lot of pain and torment not only from Beck, but everything else that's going on. She needs to grow strong, and she will. I'll be fine, I'm always fine…"

"Maybe so, but at the same time, it's okay to be scared, upset, hurt…I lost my entire family thanks to this life, I'd go crazy bottling it all in." Silence loomed over them like a cloud. Trina sought for something to say, struggling with her own dilemma. She wanted to know about his family, about Sasha and the rest. It would take her own mind off what she had done, if only temporarily.

"You don't talk much about Sasha…Or your family, for that matter. What were they like?" Jesse raised an eyebrow at her. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "It will help me not to focus on what happened tonight. How did you even join the gang, if you don't mind me asking? I hope it's not too personal of a question, and if it is, I'll back off."

"No, you're fine. What do you want to know?"

"Just that, I guess. Or whatever it is you're comfortable with talking about."

"All right." He set his bowl of soup on the end table on his side of the couch and folded his hands over his abdomen. "I came in at a young age, didn't know my family much. My mom married a jackass man who was my stepfather, he was abusive and beat mom every day. Mom wasn't so good herself. My real dad left her because she had a kid with another man and gave the kid to the dad, I never cared to find either of them. I um…I shot my stepdad one day when the abuse just got too much, then I ran. Found my real dad, and he was leading this gang."

"Why did you run? It was self defense…"

"I never killed someone before, and no matter how bad he was, how tough he was, that was a kill that I couldn't handle. I didn't enjoy it then, it scared the shit out of me. I also thought mom would hate me for it, so I ran away from her." She was torn by his story, unable to comprehend just how she felt. There was a great amount of sadness in his voice, and it filled her with grief, but also understanding. She knew how he felt because of her own mom.

"So, you essentially killed a parent too…"

"It's not easy, no."

"Have you ever thought to go back? To find your mom and see how she's doing?"

"No. When I found my dad, he told me once I was in this life, I could never go back." Her heart began to pound out vicious anxiety through her blood. Her fingers trembled for a moment and her eyes drifted towards her soup, watching as ripples began to appear.

"Is that true?"

"What?"

"That you can never leave the life."

"I don't know if that's true or not, Trina. I doubt it. It's easier for some than it is harder-I've had people as low ranking as soldiers and as high ranking as captains decide it was time to leave, and they made a life for themselves. For me personally, no, it's never happened. Sasha and I tried, as I told you, we wanted to make a life for ourselves and have a family, and the one time we got close to getting out and achieving that goal…"

"Yeah…"

"The life pulled me right back in." He cupped a hand over his mouth and closed his eyes, sighing heavily. "We'd just opened that sandwich shop and everything. I was going to make one of the captains replace me, since Sasha was the underboss at the time."

"What was Sasha like?" Jesse chuckled and pat his knee. His lips curved into a smile as he gazed off in an almost dreamlike state. "I know you say I remind you a little of her, but…I don't know, how did you meet?"

"We've known each other a couple years. She joined the gang when I was seventeen. She was sassy, rough, didn't take shit from anyone. Probably her home life made her that way, and we hit it off because both of us had that one abusive parent. For her, it was her mom, and she was struggling with emotional and mental abuse rather than physical. Her father was a grade A tough guy, but being in the army meant he usually had his priorities elsewhere. He wasn't big on family-and only ever spoke to me or Sasha whenever he arranged family dinners to meet me. Other than that, they didn't do anything together, there was virtually no working family unit."

"Sounds like she and I would have gotten along great…"

"Probably, I don't know. Something to think about though." He leaned forward and looked her in the eyes. "At least those in your family do care about you, even if it is just a little bit. Your sister, your father…You have that, Sasha and I didn't." Trina pursed her lips and furrowed her brow as Jesse leaned back, his face hardened just a little. "Her own dad didn't even show up for her funeral. You? As much of a workaholic as your dad is, I could tell just by talking to him the other day, he would be there for you. If something happened to you, he'd be there. Same for your sister. That's not a man that doesn't care about his family."

"I know…" She chuckled under her breath and leaned back, gazing up at the ceiling. Her shoulders fell and a quick breath left her lips. "I mean, I kind of realized that the other day too when he told me the whole reason he's been fighting so much and working so hard is so that Tori and I can be safe in this town like we were when we were young. This…this life never affected his family before, but if it did, he'd probably take up his guns and go to war if he could."

"Exactly. That's a man that cares about family right there."

"The whole reason for my mom…" She winced as the pangs of guilt started to return. "Well, aside from her affair tearing apart my family, the other part of it was because I know that her death…and that officer's…would make Dad that much harder on the Scrapperz."

"That's why you framed them, after all…"

"Yeah. But I realize-the reason he would do that is because he does care. I guess I am scared. Scared about how all this is going to affect everyone, how it's going to affect me. I-I don't want to be evil."

"You're not. If you were evil, you wouldn't care."

"Like Beck?"

"Probably a good analogy there."

"The thing is, I'm almost trying to justify, in my mind, killing my mother. There is no justification for that."

"Honestly, I am glad you realize that. At least you are human. You'll have to live with it though, just like I still live day to day remembering my stepdad lying on the ground while my mother stares at me with those large, fearful eyes. Self defense or not, it was one of the hardest things I've had to deal with."

She shook her head, fighting off her own image of her mother's dead body. "You-You never told me, what was your dad like? How was he?"

"Ruthless. He was an angry person and led the gang with ice in his veins. He hated everyone and expected me to do the same. I think it was meeting Sasha that kept that from happening. From day one she wanted better things for herself, and I wanted better things for her. When I was nineteen, Dad named me his underboss, so he could train me to take over in his place. He was shot and killed a year later by a rival gang, and I became the boss. Can't say I'm leading the way he wanted me to, but he and I are two different people…"

"Because of Sasha, right? She wouldn't have wanted you to be as bad as your father?"

"Yeah."

Trina started to smile at him and set her empty soup bowl on the end table beside her, "You and her are a lot alike, you know."

"What do you mean?"

"Well from day one you didn't want me to be a part of this lifestyle. I don't know why you cared about it so much, though-"

"Because you're a good person, I could see that." She looked over, feeling a slight pull. Her eyes started to glaze over as Jesse turned his eyes to the door. "You're not a person with a bad life. Sure your father's a workaholic and your mom was in that affair, and your sister had those asshole friends…but you were strong, you could have made it just fine. You didn't need this life, and you still don't, because both your father and your sister would still care about you."

"Not so sure about that now. I mean sure they don't know that it was me that shot Mom and that officer, but I know. I will always know…"

"Yeah, and to be honest, that's what I was hoping to avoid. You can't go back, you can't change it." Tears dripped from her eyes and her body began to tremble.

"I don't want to go to jail. I'm scared, Jesse. I'm really scared."

"I know. You have the option now to quit the assassinations."

"I can't just leave the gang right now, Beck's still out there! He'll come after me."

"I won't let that happen. If you still want to be a part of this life, that's fine, but you don't have to go on a killing spree. You don't _have_ to kill anyone unless it is absolutely necessary. Just know, there are consequences for your actions. One of those is going to be guilt. It's not something you can escape."

"Yeah. I just-I wanted to get my father to go after the Scrapperz, but I probably made things worse for all the city gangs at the same time." Jesse lifted his shoulders as Trina swept her tears from her eyes. "Sure he's going to believe the Scrapperz killed Mom and Gary, but at the same time…all gangs are the same in his eyes."

"Well, that's just something the gangs are going to have to deal with."

"You don't understand. Your dad was vicious and ruthless towards innocents, my dad is vicious and ruthless also…to criminals. It's the whole good and bad concept here." Jesse nodded with understanding and shrugged his shoulders once more. Trina was confused. Either he was taking this lightly or he just didn't care that all the gangs could potentially be wiped out or dramatically reduced. "You don't care that my dad can find ways to diminish the gangs in LA?"

"Whether or not the deaths tonight happened, the end result would still be the same. Your father…I think was destined to clean up Las Angeles."

"You believe in destiny?"

"Of course I do." He met her eyes and sighed heavily. "I believe everything happens for a reason. Your dad seems like the type of man to take on the city and win regardless of what brings him into that position of power. You already know my stance, live or die, I couldn't care what happens to the majority of these city gangs. As you well know, I've shaped the Knights as more of a community for people with nowhere else to turn, even though it is still a gang and we have to go through everything other gangs do, there are certain things I just won't do. One of which, is fight the police. If your father decides to go to town on these gangs, I'll order my own people to stand down. Take vacations, do whatever they can to just lay low. Besides, I wouldn't mess with your father."

"Probably better that way." She laughed once and closed her eyes. "My dad, and I guess myself and my little sister have this ability to destroy everything in our wake if we have to…"

"Oh yeah, I can see that. You just have to learn to control that and use it for good, like your dad." Her eyelids opened and she studied Jesse with a subtle smile. His eyebrows rose and she averted her gaze.

"You know. I never thought a leader of a gang could have a good sensible head on his shoulders. I admire that about you."

"Gang leaders are still people, still human. It's possible to have good qualities. There are those that do terrible things, yes, and those are the ones that always get recognition. So when people think of a gang and a gang leader, they always see the bad and never the good."

"Yin and yang, I guess. If you believe in that sort of thing."

"I do. For every bad there's always a good to balance it off. Like, let's say your mother and father for example. Your mom slept around, had affairs and didn't care for her family. Your father, however, is a good man despite being a workaholic, and he is a workaholic because he wants better for his family. Also, each and every person has that natural balance. I know you feel it. Angry, so full of rage and hate, but at the same time, you have a good heart and try to do what's right for your sister and even your father. What you did to your mom was wrong, yes, even though you may have done it for your sister and father. Maybe it could have been handled differently, and there isn't a justification for it, but it's done now."

"I don't know what I can do to make up for it."

"Who knows. At least you're saving your sister from a gang and a girl from her boyfriend by sending Tori and Jade off to Baylor. Maybe that good deed will balance out some of the bad, maybe not, only you can really decide where to go from this point."

"Yeah. I suppose so. I never thought about it that way, but it's almost like I got an angel on one side and a demon on the other, both telling me what to do." She laughed lightly and swept away another stray tear. "It's pathetic."

"Not really, just your conscience, which you should be glad is there. In the long run, it's the thing that really separates you from becoming someone as bad as, say, Beck…who does his crimes out of sheer enjoyment."

"Something I never thought about, but it does kind of make sense." She didn't want to be anything like Beck. For as much as she hated him, she knew if she became anything like him, she'd become the one thing she hated most of all. "Maybe I'm never going to be able to stop fighting though. I've already become so knee deep in this mess…"

* * *

So this conversation was cut off from the last chapter, but because I double uploaded _earlier__, _I didn't want to put this up. I put this up to respond to the anon review. I will not be able to upload to AL tomorrow due to this three chapter upload. (Not to mention I really want to focus on my classes starting tomorrow).


	24. Blowing Out Smoke

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 24 (Blowing out Smoke)

As predicted, the very next week David was throwing a shit-fest while Trina consoled her baby sister. She didn't know what to say to Tori about their mother's murder, and like Tori, she was upset still. "I keep trying to justify it," Tori whimpered as they listened to David shouting in his office. "Trying to say that Mom had it coming because of her affairs and that I won't miss her, but…there's nothing further than the truth."

"I know." It was the same way for her. No matter how much she loathed her mother for what she'd been doing and shoving it the faces of her own family, she regretted pulling that trigger. Even now, she could hear David screaming at his officers to hunt down every gang member that belonged to the Scrapperz, and to find Beck himself. Tori didn't really hear or know that Beck was involved, which was probably best.

"Dad won't tell me who was responsible. He just says it was a gang. He wants to flush them all out now. He's furious. I think it's more because they killed mom and an officer than anything, I know he wanted to try and make the marriage work, but he was losing hope." Tori swept her eyes with her finger and let out a shuddering sob. "I hate gangs. They ruin everything good in my life. I-I just want to go to Baylor and get the hell out of this town! I hate it here!"

"LA is still your home, though."

"Not anymore, Trina. I can't stand all the crime." Tori hugged herself and clenched her eyes shut. "One more week before I can leave…just one more week. I want to leave _now_, and I know Jade does too. We're trying to leave at the same time as Sam and Cat, but…I just…I can't take it anymore, Trina!" Tori snapped her gaze to her sister and her voice began to rattle. "Did you know…Did you know Robbie's addicted to drugs now? Ever since he lost Rex, he's been getting drugs from this gang and now he's always fidgety and never talks. We're trying to convince him to get help, but I'm starting to think it's hopeless. A lost cause. You know what? I bet Beck's behind even that!" Trina lifted her shoulders and pulled her sister into a loving hug.

"Maybe, but that seems low, even for Beck." Then again, it wasn't low. Not for him. "As bad as this experience is, maybe the good thing is Dad's trying to get the gang members dealt with."

"Not quite." David's angry voice erupted into the room, startling both the girls as they turned their attention to their father. He was stone-faced and extremely tense. His eyes were narrow and his lips in as permanent scowl. "The chief is turning down my requests to go after the gangs because he says there's nothing to pin on anyone other than the Scrapperz. Their prints were everywhere at the damn scene of the crime!" He stormed over to the couch, scoffing wildly. "I had a lot of respect for Warren, but the man seriously needs to step down because this illness he's got is messing with his fucking head."

"Either that, or the Scrapperz are paying him off." It was a thought, especially since Beck knew how much David hated that particular gang. It was likely that Beck would start bribing the ill and dying Chief to keep the police from touching them. David clenched his fists and started to growl.

"Damn it, damn it…" He began to tremble and pace back and forth. Tori whimpered under her breath and shrank down as she stared nervously at their father. Trina. "They aren't going to do this. They are _not_ going to get the police! I'll wipe them off the face of this earth if it's the last thing I do!"

Trina hugged Tori, feeling the girl quiver and seeing goosebumps form on her arms. "Dad! You're scaring Tori right now!" David stopped and looked over, scratching his chin. He frowned as Tori looked up to him. His chest expanded and his body started to relax.

"I'm sorry…" David gripped the edge of the couch and smiled sadly at his daughters. "I just…I can't believe-I'm trying to make heads and tails of this. I don't mean to scare you girls." Tori reached out and put her hand over his, smiling back at him.  
"It's okay daddy, I understand." He breathed in deep and stood tall.

"Maybe the gangs are trying to scare me. They know how much I focus on them, so it makes sense they'd go after my family. I never thought they'd have the gall to do so." He swept his fingers over his forehead and breathed out slowly.

"Beck's a part of that Scrapperz gang, Dad." His eyes shot open, clearly remembering the letter dropped down on the floor. "He's…He's made threats to me, to Trina, and even Jade. I haven't seen him since Andre-you know…"

"Of course! It makes sense now, of course the man would lay low. But if he's threatened you girls…" David started pacing once more, but slower this time. Trina raised an eyebrow at him and continued rubbing her sister's arm while holding her close. "Then I need to send you and Jade to Baylor sooner. I don't want to risk losing you, Tori. I know you and Jade want to go together, so…I'd have to send both of you to Texas together. Trina?"

"I'm safe," Trina remarked, "Beck doesn't even know where I live. He has no way to find me."

"Okay." David stopped pacing again and turned to them, clearing his throat. "Then I need to talk to Henry. Mr. West. Tori, let's do that now, I need to clear my head." Tori's eyes widened and she looked nervously at Trina. Trina felt her heart jump, but also felt a sting of sorrow in that her sister would be leaving a lot sooner than anticipated.

"Go ahead Tori. Dad. I'll stick around here, keep an eye on things." She hugged Tori once more and motioned for the girl to go. Tori whined as she hugged her back and stood beside David. "It's not like she's leaving today, right?" David started to frown and Trina felt her heart stop as Tori's jaw fell open. "D-Dad?"

"Whatever Mr. West and I decide, Trina. I don't want my daughters falling into danger because one of their friends is in the Scrapperz. If it's today, I will give you two time to say goodbye before we go to the airport. You understand it's for your sister's safety?"

Trina met Tori's gaze and pressed her lips tight together. Consequences for every action. She had to know this was coming, and their father was right, it was best. "Yeah. I understand. Whatever you and Mr. West decide. Tori?" Tori began to tear up again and looked to Trina with a shaky tone.

"Y-Yes?"

"I love you."

"I love you too." Tori ran for her and threw her arms around her neck. "You'll be okay, right Trina? Without me?"

"I'll be all right, as long as you're safe, that's all that matters. You know I'll always be a phone call away. There is no goodbye."

"Right." They were parting now because both girls knew their father well enough to know he wasn't going to leave them much time to say goodbye when the time came. Not to mention, he had a type-A personality, he got things done on the spot and expected others to comply. Mr. West wouldn't make any decision that David hadn't already made.

As they left the house, Trina lounged back and closed her eyes. Her heart was going a mile a minute and her body was cold. Maybe Jesse was right, she was on a path of destruction. Perhaps Pastor James was also right in the words he had said to her a while back.

_"God,"_ she thought as her eyes drifted to the sky. "I know what I've been doing is wrong. I know I shouldn't have killed my own mother, and…" Her eyes began to water as her chest throbbed. "I was just so angry. I know I haven't talked to you since Sinjin…you know…and I've been on a path of revenge, and-and I don't know what to do. My sister says prayer fixes everything, my Pastor says if we ask for forgiveness and sincerely, then we are forgiven. I want to be forgiven. I know I'm losing faith, and I'm sorry, and I don't know how to rebuild it." She sat upright and hunched over her knees as she bowed her head. "Sinjin must be upset with me up there. I hope you'll take care of mom and Officer Norris. I'm not going to pretend like what I did wasn't wrong, just…I hope you hear this, and if you do, tell everyone I'm sorry…"

Just as she was finishing up, the door flew open, startling her off the couch. Beck was standing in the doorway, his eyes wild with rage and his chest heaving. "There you are!" He stormed towards her, his voice in a low growl. "I've been looking all over for you, bitch!" Trina hopped over the edge of the couch and started to back up, slowly shaking her head. "You think I won't kill you? You _think_ you can just piss on me and move on?"

"Beck…You don't want to do this."

"Oh no, I think I do." He grabbed her neck and slammed her up against the wall, glaring into her eyes. Trina grabbed his wrist and growled as she glared back at him, with hatred seeping from her. "First off, I know you're responsible for Andre's death."

"You have no proof."

"He wouldn't have killed himself!"

"Well. I was at church, so no, I personally didn't do it."

"Fuck that. Next thing I know, I'm being framed for putting a hit out on your mother and that shithead she's been sleeping around with? That letter was meant for another woman in the first place!" He leaned dangerously close, his nostrils flaring out as his eyes darkened. "You're not going to get what you want though. Want to know why? Because we have that dying bastard in our pocket."

"So it's true? You really are buying out Chief Warren?" Beck chuckled and lifted his eyebrows.

"Of course we are. He's so off the wall that he doesn't even realize he's protecting us! He thinks the Scrapperz are a government organized agency to help protect the streets. So yes, our money is keeping him in office, _and_ keeping us untouchable." She choked in his ironclad grasp and started to feel her air leaving her. He loosened his grip some, just to let the airflow back in, then clamped down again.

"What are you going to do when he passes away?" She tried to pull his arm away, and struggled to find a means of escape. "Y-You won't be able to pay off the next Chief so easily, Beck." Her vision began to blur as her mind started to fade. "In fact, something tells me the next chief is going to hate you more than any other Police Chief in the history of this city."

"That may be, but we'll deal with whatever issue comes up." She began to raise her arm, recalling an old martial arts escape tactic. Beck raised an eyebrow as she slammed her arm down on his. He let out a shout and released her. Just as he did, she slammed her knee into his abdomen, causing him to stagger backwards. Her vision started to return to normal as she was able to breathe again.

"You won't come close." Beck rubbed his wrist and stated to growl. "For one, you have no idea where I live. Two, you're weaker now than before because your gang is dying and now my dad wants your head on a silver platter. I'm not scared of you because you're not a real threat to me. I can kick your ass and you wouldn't even see it coming."

"I could kill you and you wouldn't see it coming." She scoffed and Beck raised an eyebrow, slowly growing a smirk on his face. "One day, I'll show you just how close I can come to killing you without you even realizing it. How would that sound?" Those words left a stain on her face as she studied his murderous expression. He was dead serious, but she couldn't let him know his words jarred her at all. "You're so pathetic, running with the Knights. You're not even a real gang member, and their leader? Jesse?" Beck bumped her chin lightly with his knuckles, chuckling softly. "He won't be able to protect your pretty little ass forever. Every gang from here to Timbuktu wants his head on a stick. Keep running with him, they'll want yours too. How's that sound?"

"Like a challenge. By the way, have you said goodbye to Jade yet?"

"No. Why?" He raised an eyebrow and clenched his fists. "You better not be-"

"I wouldn't hurt her at all. She's safe, that's all I'm saying. My dad just took Tori over to talk to Mr. West. Tori and Jade will be leaving today." Beck's eyes widened and he slowly looked over his shoulder.

"No! It can't be-"

"That's right, they're being sent somewhere safe. Somewhere you won't be able to find them."

"Bitch!"

"Go ahead and scream all you want. Even now, if you tried to get close to them, you'd be killed in an instant. Do you know how many police are probably going to be training their guns on any area my dad is at with Jade and Tori? If you come close, they'll pop you like a balloon. Grouse all you like, but you're losing big time."

"Mark my words, Vega…" Beck shifted the cuffs on his shirt and began rolling his sleeves down as he moved for the door. "I'll get you. I'll tear down all the knights. You don't know what mess you just got yourself into…"

"Another challenge, I suppose? Get out of the house before I throw you out." She raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. "And I will _literally_ throw you." Beck scoffed and left the house. Trina had her chest puffed out and a dangerous look on her face that went away once he was gone. She pressed her back to the wall and moved her hand to her throat. She pulled her phone from her pocket and sank to the floor as she dialed Jesse's number.

"What's up?" Jesse answered.

"Nothing, I just…needed to talk to someone…"

"You okay?"

"I am now." She took a deep breath and clenched her eyes shut. "My head hurts and I can hardly breathe." She knew he was at the restaurant right now and didn't want to bother him, but aside from him all she had was Vivian, and Vivian she knew was down at a doctor's appointment. Trina ran her hand through her head, tangling her fingers in her hair as her body began to shake. "This hasn't been a good day. Dad's going to send Tori, and Jade, away now instead of a week from now. I'm by myself and Beck just stormed in here…"

"What? What happened!"

"I think I scared him off." She looked to the door and let her voice crack for a second. "I-I need some air. I think…I think I'm going to get to the mansion. Maybe call up some of the gang to come over or something."

"Might be a good idea. Just get some rest. You'll be okay."

"Yeah. I hope so…" She wasn't normally scared this easily, not by Beck, but it seemed clear she wasn't in her best state. It was embarrassing for her, not to mention distressing. She was stronger than this, or at least, she thought she was. "When will you be done working?"

"Not long from now."

"Bring supper home?"

Jesse laughed, calming her some. "Sure, I'll bring something back with me." She started to smile and nodded her head.

"Thank you. Can it be a foot long sub sandwich with lots of roast beef, ham, lettuce, tomato, black olives and red vinegar sauce with pepper?" Jesse chuckled and Trina glanced up hopefully.

"I think you just described a Subway brand sandwich, but let me write that down for you and I'll remember to bring it."

"Toasted?"

"Of course."

"Thanks."

"Not a problem."

* * *

So Beck has managed to frighten Trina, his words will leave a stain that impacts her and likely furthers her struggle to remain in the gang while wanting to leave the gang. Beck will disappear for a while from this point, but his presence will be felt throughout all of LA as the Scrapperz gang becomes incredibly stronger under Beck's regime. Mr. Vega's waging a war, and the current Chief of Police is so messed up that he's being led like a puppet on a string by the Scrapperz. Tell me your thoughts on this chapter.


	25. Beyond the Haze

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 25 (Beyond the Haze)

Driving to the mansion was difficult enough with her constantly looking over her shoulder to make sure she wasn't being followed. She didn't need to think Beck was still after her, he'd successfully managed to worm his way into her brain and now she was starting to become paranoid that he was trying to follow and make good on his promise to kill her without her realizing it.

Of course, Trina kept telling herself she had nothing to fear. Beck wasn't that smart, at least she didn't want to think he was. Fortunately she hadn't been followed and managed to get into the mansion safely. All that was left to do was wait for Jesse to get home, but it seemed like a long wait. "I'll call one of the captains, maybe they can come over." She didn't want to call the other two lieutenants under Vivian, Jared or Travis, because she didn't always communicate with them. When she did, it was just to discuss orders and assignments.

Vivian she knew she couldn't get a hold of right now. That left Roger and the other shady captain, Andrew. She didn't like Andrew that much, and got along better with the lieutenants under him than he did. He was shady because he did things Jesse didn't really know about, such as it was thought all the captains stayed away from drugs, but Trina found that Andrew did not. "I'll call Roger up, he's Jesse's friend, he'll keep me company since Jesse and Vivian aren't around…"

She didn't know why she didn't want to be alone, usually she was at her best when she was. Of course there was benefit to this community, sometimes it was better to not be alone than it was to be alone. "What's up?" Roger answered her phone call with a chipper, but tired tone. "Something wrong, Trina?"

"Just feeling anxious. Can't reach Vivian, and Jesse's still at the restaurant. For some reason, I'm feeling like I need some company."

"I'd love to help out but I'm backed up as it is here at the bar. You don't strike me as someone who usually needs company. What's going on?"

"I'm not. I like to deal with stuff on my own. Just today's a difficult day and I don't want to be alone. Jesse's not coming home for like another hour or two at least."

"I hear you, but unfortunately I can't leave the bar right now. Why can't you reach Vivian?"

"Doctor appointment. I'm going to have to call Andrew, I guess."

"Oh. Can you call one of the lieutenants? They'd probably be a better choice. Hell, even Davis would be a better person to call." It seemed as though Vivian and Roger were working to get Andrew removed and replaced, Jesse didn't have anyone to replace him with at the moment. None of Andrew's lieutenants wanted the position, and Vivian was training Trina to take _her_ place if need be. "And whatever's troubling you today, just take a deep breath and try to relax. I'm sure things will be fine."

"It's Beck. You know…the Scrapperz, they're onto me. Beck's planning something, I just don't know what. He says that he's going to try and find a way to kill me, and probably Jesse, without us even realizing it. I don't know what he intends to do, but…yeah I don't usually get scared, but he's got me feeling paranoid."

"Ah. Well it'll be all right, he's probably just talking out of his ass. The guy _is_ backed into a corner after all. He's probably just trying to control you with fear, don't let him get to you."

"Right. Thanks."

"No problem. I need to get back to work. Just hang in there and you'll do fine."

"Right."

After the phone call, she did call Andrew as he was the only remaining captain. Of course, as an afterthought, she questioned why she bothered. Not only did she have her pick of anyone else in the gang to call, but she didn't _need_ anyone around anyway. She just had to find something to do with her time until Jesse got back and she'd have her company.

It was, however, too late anyway. Andrew already agreed to hang out with her until Jesse got home, so he was already on his way. No matter how shady the man was, she just had to talk to him for a little bit of time. It would be good to get to know one of the captains. She knew how Roger joined and why Vivian was a part of the gang, but never anything about Andrew. Jesse said he came in around the same time as Sasha, if not a few months after, and he rose up in the ranks without much hassle.

When he arrived, his eyes were bloodshot as Robbie's were, but he was walking and talking with a calm voice. "How are you holding up?" Andrew asked while moving to the couch.

"Doing better." She sat down on the other end and studied him carefully. He was leaning into the corner of the couch and hanging his left elbow over the top while resting his right hand in his lap. His eyes were somewhat shifty, but his body was still and calm. "Just wanted to have someone to talk to, I guess. I usually like to be alone, but today was just…I don't know, didn't feel like being alone."

"Why? What's going on?"

"I guess a lot. My dad's finally sending Tori off to Texas, Beck's becoming worse, and I'm just…I don't know-I've got a headache and everything." She didn't know how much she wanted to reveal to this guy, especially since she didn't trust him and felt like something was gravely wrong. "The Scrapperz are just, they're crazy…"

"Well of course, I mean I haven't seen a gang crazier than them. At the same time, there are a lot of bad ones out there." Andrew leaned back and closed his eyes, breathing out slowly. "So what's the deal with you and Jesse? You two hooking up yet?" She froze and jerked her head back. She didn't even think about Jesse in that manner. Sure he was attractive and she admired a lot about him, but she wasn't going to be able to just get over Sinjin. Not to mention, as hung up as she was on Sinjin, he was still in love with Sasha.

"Jesse and I are strictly friends." She moved her hand to her chest and cleared her throat. "I'm a little insulted. He still loves Sasha, I still love Sinjin. We respect each other as well as respect the other's boundaries."

"Sorry, just checking. " Now she wanted to send him out, she could be on her own for a while. "Besides, we wouldn't want him to let someone else he care about die." Trina rolled her eyes and stared at Andrew, who was now sniffing and rubbing his nose. "You know. Sasha. She was my cousin. I joined the gang because she did." She frowned and lowered her hands to her sides.

"I'm sorry. Were you two close?"

"Not entirely. Especially not after she joined the gang and started spending her time with Jesse." She could hear agitation in his voice and began to stand up, slowly looking at the door. She could order him to leave, but would he? "Then a few months ago, she's gunned down by that gang. It's Jesse's fault she's gone, you know."

"No it's not, he loved her."

"Oh I don't doubt that." Andrew rose up and crossed his arms. "But if she wasn't around him, she would still be alive. My cousin would be alive today if it wasn't for him." So he blamed Jesse for Sasha's death? That hardly seemed fair. She took a step back as his eyes began to grow wilder, burning with rage.

"Okay, I probably shouldn't have called you after all. You're making me a bit uncomfortable." She tensed herself and looked over to the door. "I think maybe you should leave."

"No. No, I'm not going to get another chance like this." Her heart stopped and her eyes widened. "I know he's been soft on you. Maybe you remind him of her or something, I don't know, but whatever the case may be…He took my cousin away, and now I'm going to take someone he cares about away." Andrew tore out a pocketknife and Trina started to groan.

"Come on, that's not going to help things. You're just going to piss him off, and I'm already pissed as is." Her muscles tensed as Andrew lunged for her. She sidestepped him and yelped as the knife sliced part of her shirt. "I just bought this. Come on Andy, you do not want to do this."

"No. I do."

"Exactly what drug are you on?"

"PCP, but it's nothing."

Her heart sank and she immediately bolted for the stairs. "Oh shit." PCP was one of the worst drugs out there, and it usually amplified strength. As Andrew ran for her, climbing the stairs behind her, she dealt a swift kick to his chest and sent him tumbling down the steps. His knife slashed his arm during the fall, but it didn't seem to faze him as he simply shot back up and started for her once more. "Killing me isn't going to do anything for you, Andrew. I'm not close enough to him like that. You won't hurt him, you'll just piss him off."

"Maybe you're the one that's the wrong." She raced up the stairs and stopped at the ledge, peering down at the couch beneath her. To her left, Andrew was charging at her like a bull, brandishing the knife in the air. She took a deep breath and grabbed the rail, flipping over and blocking her head as she landed on the couch.

Her body jolted with pain, but fortunately she didn't break anything. She looked up to see Andrew glaring down at her. Thinking fast, she pushed herself from the couch and ran into the kitchen. Her body was sore, even still from that fall, so movement was not easy. She winced as she ducked down beneath the counter, trying to contemplate what her next move was. "I shouldn't have done that. What was I thinking? Shit!" She was making too many bad decisions today, and every one of them seemed to be worse than the last.

As he entered the kitchen, she pressed her back against the cabinet doors and looked around for anything she could use as a weapon. "Come out, come out wherever you are. I want Jesse to see you bleeding out all over his nice floor." She didn't want to have to kill someone else, even if he was a drug infused maniac.

"Don't make me fight you, Andrew. I'm tired of this."

"Then get your ass over here so I can slit your throat." She felt a sudden rush of anger and disgust, but sought to control herself before lashing out. "You think Beck's a problem for you?"

"I'm _not_ that important. Killing me isn't going to do a damn thing and you know it!" She pushed herself up and stared at him. "You're out of control." She understood killing for revenge, and she knew personally that it didn't solve anything.

"If you weren't important, he wouldn't keep your ass around." She took a deep breath and slowly opened a drawer in the counter. Carefully she pulled a steak knife out and hid it behind her back. Her eyes remained glued to his and she carefully stepped to the side.

"What do you think you're going to achieve? All this is going to do is make Jesse throw you out. You're not going to hurt him in any way."

"Do you think he's heartless?" She thought she heard the front door open, but figured it was just a trick of the ears.

"No, I just…" It wasn't so much Jesse as she thought of herself as insignificant to others. Why should she be worth anything to anyone? "Why should I matter to anybody? Tell me that. I'm nobody. Killing me isn't going to upset anyone here, and it's not going to bring your cousin back."

"No, but it sure will make me feel a shitload better!" Andrew ran for her and she instantly leaned to the right, lifting her left leg and striking him in the chest. His hand came down and the knife cut the side of her leg. She screamed out as pain seared through her body. Trying her best to ignore the pain, she threw her arm around, slicing at him with the knife in her hand. He leaned back and stabbed at her, but she dodged to the left, wincing as she looked down to the blood staining her jeans.

"What part of 'this does nothing' don't you understand! Damn it, I should have listened when Roger said to call someone else." She flipped her hair over her shoulder and stumbled backwards onto the counter, lifting her wounded leg up. She was fortunate he didn't cut the femoral artery, but vital veins or not, it still hurt like hell. She gripped the edge of the counter with her hands and lifted up, kicking Andrew back again. He roared out angrily and grabbed her leg, twisting it. She turned her body with the twist and screamed out as pain stabbed her like lightning.

Andrew yanked her back and she struck the ground with sharp force, but she wasn't going down without a fight. She flipped onto her back, trembling with pain as she pushed up with her palms. As Andrew descended upon her, she kicked upright and struck him hard in the jaw. He staggered backwards, screaming out in pain.

"You bitch!" She narrowed her eyes and began crawling backwards against the pantry. Her chest heaved as her eyes drifted to the blood trail on the floor.

"Guess you got what you wanted, my blood is definitely on his floor." She curled her lips into a smirk and glared smugly at the man holding his jaw. "Of course, some of yours is there too."

"No. I want him to find you. Dead." He stood over her and raised his pocketknife. Just as she was about to strike him again, he was startled back by Jesse's voice.

"Only one of us is going to die on that floor, and it isn't going to be her." Andrew's eyes widened and Trina looked past him to see Jesse standing in the doorway with a shotgun in his hand. She lowered her foot and looked away just as he pulled the trigger, firing a shot directly into Andrew's back. As he fell, Trina rolled onto her chest and slowly pushed herself up, groaning as her body fought her.

Jesse tossed his shotgun to the side and hurried over to help her stand. She lifted her leg up and put her arm around his shoulders, wincing. "Okay, come on, let's get you to the couch. I'll have to call someone to get this mess cleaned up…"

It wasn't long before Vivian was over, finally done with her doctor's appointment, and several gang members, including Andrew's own lieutenants were disposing of his body. Trina was too wounded to concern herself with what was going to happen to Andrew, but she'd ask later. Currently, Jesse was bandaging up her leg while Vivian was sitting beside her and holding her hand as he poured alcohol on the wound. "I'm surprised you know first aid."

"Surprised? Why? I run a restaurant, what am I going to do if one of my customers start choking?"

"Good point." She looked over her shoulder and started to frown. "I'm sorry about Andrew. Roger even told me I should just call Davis if I wanted someone to hang out with."

"Well nothing to do about it now. At least you're all right."

"You handled him pretty well," Vivian remarked. "Don't be sorry though, you didn't do anything wrong."

"He thought killing me was going to hurt Jesse. That wouldn't work, right?" She looked at Jesse for confirmation, but he only shrugged in response and wouldn't look up at her, he just kept concentrating on bandaging her leg. What did this mean? Was Andrew right?

"I got home to hear what you said, and I think you're wrong. You're not 'unimportant' and you aren't a nobody. You matter, at least to me and Vivian. Hell, even Roger sent some of his lieutenants over to help. You're a friend, so yes, in a way him killing you might have done something to me."

"Really?" Her heart pounded a heavily a couple times and she slowly glanced away, unsure of what to think.

"The point is, you're alive and you fought him off. Now I'm going to have to find someone to replace him." One of Andrew's lieutenants, Rachel, came over and pointed to Trina.

"Why not her?" Rachel asked. Trina's eyes widened and Vivian grinned at Jesse, who merely raised an eyebrow. "She has our respect _and_ managed to keep Andrew from killing her." Trina shrugged in response and shook her head.

"Only because my head wasn't screwed up by drugs."

"It isn't a bad thought," Vivian remarked, "We'd be the same rank! Also as a Captain, you wouldn't _have_ to do anything you didn't want to unless Davis or Jesse ordered it. Jesse wouldn't order you to do anything too bad, and I think if there was something you needed done, you can have your lieutenants do it for you."

"I don't know…"

"Couldn't hurt," Jesse replied. "I think you can handle it, at least better than Andrew. I'd say go for it, Vivian and Roger can train you to do the job just fine. Plus, it makes you almost like an ambassador for the Knights. People look up to you with respect and you have power to say what needs to be said to other gangs. Plus, you won't have to answer to anyone but yourself. Davis doesn't usually issue out orders, he only serves as my right hand…"

She wasn't uncomfortable with the decision as much as she was nervous about the position. She'd take it, but whatever it entailed, she hoped that it really would just be one of those things where she wouldn't have to do much. "Fine, I'll take it. I'm just…tired, that's all. It's been a long day." She exhaled slowly and closed her eyes. "What will happen to Andrew's body?"

"He didn't have family, there's no one to contact as far as next of kin goes. We'll bury him, maybe have a small ceremony, but I'm not sure he deserves even that."

"Yeah, I don't know…My sister at least would want to pray for him, knowing her." He chuckled softly and moved away from her leg, having finished with the bandaging.

"Maybe we will. If you want to do that."

"I just want to sleep. Let Vivian walk me up to the bedroom or something."

"All right. Go ahead."

"Thanks." She saw today something she didn't want. A man so overcome with grief and hatred, so bent on revenge, that he'd lost himself completely. A nightmare, her nightmare. His fate? Gunned down like a dog. She didn't want that for herself, but now she was scared. She was so deep into the life of a gang member that she didn't know how to get out.

As Vivian walked with her up the stairs, she shook her head and began to harden herself. "What am I going to do, Vivian? Tell me…" Vivian simply frowned and walked her into the bedroom.

"I wish I knew how to answer…"

* * *

Well Trina's captain now, she's displayed quite a bit of strength and at least the captain level is more flexible to the fact that she doesn't have to do crimes ordered by anyone else. The downfall is it just doesn't get that much easier. Your thoughts?


	26. A Sister's Faith

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 26 (A Sister's Faith)

"Tori, how are you holding up?" Trina sat on the bed with her laptop between her legs. She was on Skype with her sister, who was settling into a dorm room with Jade, miraculously Sam's father found a vacant dormitory and ordered the housing to accept the four kids. So Jade and Tori were rooming next to Sam and Cat.

"Pretty well." Tori waved in the camera and looked back at Jade, who was trying to apply makeup in the mirror. "Mr. Puckett did us a big favor, especially since our actual classes won't start until next semester. I've got all my transcripts sent in and everything, will have to send a final transcript once I'm done with my online classes this semester."

"Sounds about right." She was eternally grateful that Tori was safe now, and of course, that was all that mattered to her. "I want you to do the best you can in school. Okay? Don't let things get so bad that you can't handle it."

"I'll do my best, Trina. I'll make you and Dad proud of me."

"I know you will." She smiled confidently at her little sister and looked up past the laptop for a moment. She was curious what Cat and Sam wanted to do with their lives, or at least Cat. Sam told her she wanted to go into the military like Cat's elder brother, but Cat herself wasn't sure what she wanted out of her life. "Has Cat mentioned what she might want to do? Maybe follow her older brother's footsteps, or maybe take care of her younger brother?"

"I think taking care of her little brother is the _last_ thing she wants." Of course, it was the younger that had some mental issues. "Sam's got a crush on Cat's older brother, she's actually been on a couple dates with him. Did you know he's almost a Captain in the Army? Maybe he'll reach that rank in a few years. Sam's hoping to finish college and get into the military. Cat might try for the military too one day, but she says right now she's got no idea what to do. _Jade_ thinks I should go into the navy, but seriously…that's the _last_ thing I'm doing." Trina laughed as Tori made a sour face and started to shudder.

"Well, you need to overcome your fear of water sometime."

"Yeah, sure, and then after I do that, I think I'll go bungee jump off the empire state building!" Trina laughed again and lifted her shoulders, smirking at Tori's flat expression.

"Whatever floats your boat, sis." Tori rolled her head to the side and let out a deep breath.

"It's only been a week or two and I miss you so much already. I want to go back home and be with you."

"You're doing fine though, and I'm still here. I'm not going anywhere." She cocked her head to the right and retained her bright smile. "You're going to become the best in everything you do, I just know it. I'm proud of you, Tori. I want you to know that."

"Thanks sis. I'm sorry we didn't get much a goodbye when I left."

"Yeah, me too. Dad was pretty insistent though." She had to hand it to the man, he knew what needed to get done and did whatever it took to do it. It was as though this was his life motto. He was strong, and surprised Trina with his ability to take care of himself even after having to send Tori away and losing Holly. "You're more like Dad than you realize, I think so."

"Yeah, but you're the one that's always been like him. I just know not to be like mom." Tori bowed her head, concerning Trina. "You know, this isn't my laptop. Dad wouldn't let us bring ours on the off chance Beck knew how to track our computer addresses. We don't talk to him or anything, but Dad didn't want to take the chance. He even gave me a new phone, Jade's dad did the same for her. So this is just one of our neighbor's computer…I don't know how often I'm going to get to talk to you."

"I'm sure you'll have many opportunities. You've still got my number and I'm sure there will be plenty of times you can talk to me on the computer."

"Limited time because of my online classes." Tori started to tear up. Trina frowned as her sister lifted her head up to look at something past the computer. "Sometimes I'll be able to do my work on the computers in the campus library, so our neighbor's computer is the only time I can video chat or work on my school in the dorm room, and so…I have limited time and have to do my school work." Tori wiped her eyes and cleared her throat. "I hope you're staying safe and away from Beck."

"I'm staying as away from him as I can. He's pissed off I'm sure that you and Jade aren't around. Dad's been trying hard to convince Chief Warren they need to do something about him and the Scrapperz. Beck's been laying low though, probably cause he knows Dad will tear into him on sight."

"Dad means business. You weren't there when he was talking to Mr. West. He even called Mr. Puckett up and _demanded_ the man start pulling strings to get us into the school. Dad can be pretty frightening when he wants to be."

"That is true." She'd never seen her father so enraged in her life. The day he sent Tori and Jade to the airport, and every day after, he'd been ordering the police department around like there was a fire that sparked in his blood. "He's setting up for a war. I can see it. He's going to fight these gangs with everything he's got. He's not going to give up until they're all gone."

Tori chuckled to herself and shook her head, "I can only hope to ever rise up to his level. I don't know if I could ever be that ferocious."

"You could if you have to. We're Vegas, we take down anything in our way."

"True" Tori laughed. The girl started to put her hair into a ponytail and looked at her computer screen with a heavy sigh. "Trina. I have to start working on my homework."

"Oh. You have to go, then?"

"Yeah. My neighbor just told me she needs to get to work in an hour or so. Oh! By the way!" Tori lifted the computer and turned it around, pointing the camera to a man in the doorway. The man was somewhat buff and had a narrow face and spiky brown hair. The man chuckled nervously at the camera and started to wave. "This is Ben. He's working on a law degree."

"Oh? Well that's great. You've already made some friends, I see!"

"Yep!" Tori returned the camera to herself and brightened with a smile. "He's a nice guy." She raised an eyebrow, realizing that most dorms don't have men and women sharing the same building, let alone the same floor.

"Tori. What dorm allows men in the women's dormitory?"

"Oh, not this one. He's just visiting. My neighbor is a girl named Erika. Ben is her brother and actually goes to school here. He's in the next dorm over. We talk a few times…Just thought I'd sort of introduce you. You should meet Erika."

"I'm sure I will one day."

"Maybe! She's a blast to talk to! She even gets Jade to talk and laugh, and you know how hard it is to do that." Trina watched Jade in the background give Tori a mild glare before returning to the mirror on the wall.

It wasn't hard to understand why Jade was so reserved, she had to survive a relationship with someone like Beck. What woman would be able to deal with that and come out perfectly fine? It wasn't humanly possible. There were going to be scars, and it would take Jade a little time to get past it, but she could do it.

"Both of you are strong women, I know you two will make it no matter what life brings your way."

"Yeah, at least we're all looking out for each other. Me, Jade, Sam, Cat…You'll look after Dad, won't you?"

"Of course I will." She reached down and rubbed her leg, gazing at the scar she received from her fight with Andrew. Her eyes fell on the red ring that now rested on her finger, and she drew in a strong breath. Her position did allow for her to have more time with her father if she wanted, but the higher her rank got, the harder it seemed that she might have concealing it from him. Then, their enemies, like Beck could go after him to try and get to her. Granted, they'd have a hell of a time, but she still didn't want to see her dad's life threatened. "Dad's a lot stronger than I am though. Maybe both emotionally and physically."

"Oh come on. Trina, you're a fighter! A role model." She was not sure about being Tori's role model, or if she even wanted that. Did the girl even know what she was asking? "You're always telling me I'm strong and I can make it, but you're stronger than I am!"

"Am I? Tori, my life's been a downward spiral since Sinjin's death. I've done things, some things I never thought I'd do in my life…I'm not strong." She looked away, half contemplating spilling her guts to her sister.

"It. Doesn't. Matter." Her eyebrow rose and she quickly looked over. Tori had a serious expression on her face, and her lips were drawn in an incredibly thin line. "I don't care what you've done, what you've been involved in, or how 'down' you think your life has gotten. You're still here, you're still toughing it out and even looking after _me_. You're my big sister, you're strong, and I love you."

"And I love you. I just know some of the things I've done you'd probably hate me for."

"Could never hate you. No matter what, I couldn't hate you. I don't care what you've done either. I don't know what you're talking about, and I don't _want_ to know. It's not important to me. I just…I want to thank you for somehow getting me into Baylor, and I want you to be there for Dad. Take care of him, because you _are_ the strong one, I know you are."

"Thank you, Tori…"

"Now I need to get back to my schoolwork, so I can't be having a distraction. This isn't goodbye though!" Trina started to smile and nodded her head.

"I'll…talk to you later then."

"You know it."

"Do your best, and if you can, let me know how your studies are going."

"I will."

Jade came up beside Tori and put her head next to hers, smirking at Trina. "If you see Beck, punch him in the jaw for me!" Trina laughed and nodded her head, she was already sure that would happen regardless.

"I'll be sure to do that, Jade. He won't even see it coming."

"Good!"

"Jade!" Tori pushed Jade back some, laughing momentarily. "I'm trying to say bye to my sister so I can do my schoolwork. I don't want to have to go down to the library right now."

"Okay, okay."

Tori watched as Jade walked away, then turned back to the screen, waving at Trina. "It's been really great talking with you, Trina. I'll talk to you again soon, okay! Just remember, never goodbye."

"Right. Until we talk again, then."

"Love you!"

"You too baby sister."

The camera shut off and Trina slowly closed the laptop. She laid back on the bed and listened to the pounding of her heart. She wanted to cry and run down to Texas to pull Tori back. As painful as it was to only see her on camera, it was even more painful knowing she wouldn't get to see her very often.

"Some goodbye this is." She could never understand Tori, or why the girl would love her so much. She knew her own struggles and sins, and how could Tori say with such certainty that she wouldn't care even if she knew what Trina had done? Maybe, it was just something Trina would never fully understand, or maybe she would understand one day. For now, all she could do was live life day to day in hopes that she didn't drown completely. "One day…one day I'll figure a way, if there even is one. Or maybe, maybe I'm screwed as is."

* * *

There is that chapter, a good conversation, so tell me your thoughts.


	27. Meeting of the Leaders

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 27 (The Meeting of Leaders)

"Things are getting worse." Trina sat with the other two Captains, Davis and Jesse, listening to them discuss the state of things within the city. It was literally beginning to tear apart as Beck went into hiding and other gangs were becoming increasingly aware of the current Chief's ability to turn his head to the troubles in the city. Even the mayor wasn't responding to the gang activity, but mostly that was due to his wanting to let the Police Chief focus attention on the gangs. "All the smaller gangs are trying to rise up," Davis crossed his arms as everyone looked up to him. "El Sangre is beginning to lose their threshold and power because of a civil war within their own walls. The Cravens have been looking for an opportunity like this from day one."

"Are we just fighting a losing battle then?" Roger asked. Trina looked to her right at Jesse, who was hunched over with his elbows propped on the table and his hands clasped at his chin as he stared in contemplation at the table's center. Davis was standing beside him while Roger was sitting on the other side of Jesse. Vivian was beside Trina.

"The small gangs are just trying to follow the Scrapperz by example," Vivian informed them. "They're too small to make an impact. Right now Sangre is our top ally, and we have connections with several of the smaller gangs." Roger set his drink down and motioned with his hand.

"Sangre is having difficulty maintaining their own members as is. With everyone gunning for them or us, the Cravens-or whatever gang is left-is bound to seize control of LA. The smaller gangs are uniting into one, some are disbanding and others are trying to topple the big dogs on their own. Not to mention Chief Warren won't do shit about this mess because they all seem to have him in their pocket!"

"The entire city wants Mr. Vega in position." Trina turned her head slightly to Davis as the man talked about her father. It was true, most of the citizens in LA thought David would be the best bet for taking out the gangs. Davis poked his chest with his thumb and spoke with a deep authoritative tone. "I say we need him in power. He'd be able to settle their asses."

"If he's in power he'll take us out as well."

"It's a chance we have to take. Besides, could we just buy our protection?"

"Not easily. Even if he knew his own daughter was one of us, he wouldn't protect us." No, if anything, he'd want to destroy the Knights more if he knew Trina was with them. She knew that would be a bad mistake. Her eyes drifted to Jesse, who was still contemplating the complaints and considerations. She reached out, setting her hand gently on his arm. His eyes drifted to the corner sockets and met hers. His lips folded into a frown and his shoulders rose.

"All I can think of is this whole town was fine before the Scrapperz," Jesse moved his hand down to the table and leaned back in his seat. "They're the ones rallying these smaller gangs, they're the ones starting a civil war within the ranks of Sangre-I firmly believe they've placed their own people in there for that purpose. The Cravens are the third strongest and the only ones not tainted or influenced by the Scrapperz in any way. We need to align ourselves with them and find a way to help El Sangre regain control of their own ranks."

"Eight of Sangre's Lieutenants are in prison, as well as two of the captains. Three captains are dead and four lieutenants. They're trying to ward off whatever civil unrest was caused in their ranks while trying to replace…something like this, plus a war on the outside front will destroy them. Right?"

"Yeah, that's why we need to help. I just don't think we'll be able to convince the Cravens to any sort of agreement right now. Those bastards like to play dirty."

"We could talk to them," Trina suggested, "I'm sure reason will help?"

"Not confident." Jesse returned to his prior position and breathed out through his nostrils. "The Knights are pretty much the only gang, aside from Sangre and a few smaller ones that respect their female recruits. Each time I've tried to 'reason' with the Cravens, they wanted me to make a deal by giving them one of my female members. I don't work that way…They're also rivals of the Sangre gang, they're not going to be so quick to help _them_ even if they hate the Scrapperz as much as the rest of us."

"Well we have to try talking to them anyway. We can't just let allies fall because we're afraid to communicate with the enemy. Not to mention, if we find evidence that the Scrapperz are infiltrating ranks and bringing down the gangs, we need to warn them to stop recruiting or at least to perform further checks to make sure those recruited don't belong to the Scrapperz."

"I understand your point, and you're right, but I am more questioning _how_ we can talk. I will, however, arrange a meeting with the heads of Sangre and Cravens." Jesse leaned back and breathed out. "Trina. You and Davis will be joining me at the meeting. It's usually a requirement to have two of your higher ups with you at meetings, so…"

"Okay. I'll be there." She didn't question it, but she was a little scared to be the one to go. Why couldn't Roger or Vivian go? "Also, do we do anything about Chief Warren?" Jesse frowned and slanted his eyes. Trina wasn't sure what she was suggesting, surely not suggesting they kill the man, but maybe try to reason as well. "If we can't talk to him, make him realize he's being deceived by the gangs…My dad _needs_ to be in position of power. Even though I know it might be bad for the Knights, but-"

"I already said I'd order all Knights to stand down if your father reaches that position and goes after all the gangs. As long as we don't cause trouble, we stay off the radar." The others nodded their heads and Jesse set his hands firmly on the table, patting it gently and sighing heavily. "Do we have any knowledge at all as to where Beck may be located?"

"No, I don't even think he's in the city."

"Probably not, if he's smart. He may be rebuilding the Scrapperz as we speak. We need to put a stop to them, and you're right, if David were in a position of power _we _would have the advantage where the Scrapperz would not."

"A disadvantage too," Davis reminded, "But I do see your point about being off the radar. If we can avoid confrontation with the police, we can't lose."

"Okay. So if everything is out on the table, I'll contact Carl and Wesley."

A couple days later was the arranged meeting. Trina was extremely anxious as she walked with Jesse and Davis into a small house that belonged to Carl, head of El Sangre. There was a large oval table to sit at, so they sat at the foot end with Jesse at the tip, Trina to his right, and Davis to his left. Carl was at the head of the table. He was dark skinned and had a black goatee and a dark cowboy hat. To Carl's right was an Asian woman with a gentle face and shoulder length black hair. To his left was a man with a thick mustache and balding haircut. These were the two underbosses, Tracy and Adam.

Following Jesse's group, Wesley of the Cravens walked in with his two underbosses. Wesley was average sized with a beer gut and, bald head and a thick beard. His underbosses were Dmitri and Marvin. They looked relatively similar to Wesley, but Dmitri was tanner and without facial hair while Marvin was paler, thinner and with thick sideburns running out from beneath a ball cap. Almost instantly, Trina could feel their eyes on her, and she immediately wanted to hit them.

"They won't stop staring," she whispered at Jesse. He turned his eyes to Wesley and thinned his lips. She could see him trying to hold back from saying anything, so she relaxed herself as the three men sat down.

"All right," Carl spoke first, smiling pleasantly at everyone. "Jesse, you're the one that arranged this, so you can go first."

"Thank you." Jesse tapped his fingertips together and leaned back in the chair. "Carl, Wesley, as you know, we've been having problems with the Scrapperz. Their new leader, Beck Oliver, has been causing a headache for all of us and stirring up the rest of the gangs." Carl's face tensed and Wesley slowly nodded his head. "Carl, I know you're having trouble with your ranks, right?"

"Yeah, and I already know the Scrapperz have been infiltrating my group." He crossed his arms over and locked his jaw. "They're plaguing my gang with distrust and destroying us from within. Most of my higher ups are gone. Tracy only has two captains under her now and out of the supposed eight, she now only has two lieutenants. One of which has a captain in jail. Adam only has one captain left and that one captain has one lieutenant remaining, and as with the other, there's only two out of the eight there ought to be on his side" Carl moved his arms out and tapped the table. "If this continues, I'm going to have to break up the gang…we might not be able to bounce back." Wesley raised his eyebrows. Trina studied him closely, pushing down her disgust at the revolting smell coming from the man. There was something off about him, something that told her he had no intention of making any deals.

"That's what I wanted to talk about." Jesse motioned to Wesley. "We need to all three come to some sort of arrangement. Sangre needs help, and we need to get rid of the Scrapperz. We can work together as allies and take them out with no loss to ourselves."

"What do we get out of it?" Wesley asked. "I see what you two get out of it, but Scrapperz aren't my problem. They haven't even touched us."

"Are they allying with you?" Carl narrowed his eyes and Wesley shook his head.

"I wouldn't ally myself with those dirty, no good, lousy bums. Although…" Wesley tapped his chin and turned his lips into a slight smirk. Trina kept herself reserved despite the curdling disgust she felt in her gut. "Maybe put a couple honeys on the table and I might negotiate an alliance. Perhaps, the sweetie to your right?" She heard Jesse grunt and saw his eyes slowly close over as his fingers started to curl.

"No. I'm not negotiating her. Or any of my female recruits, for that matter."

"I don't know why you bother to rank women up. You and Carl both seem to not realize women are only good for one thing." Wesley crossed his arms as both Carl and Jesse turned their glaring eyes onto him. "But you are right, we are not here to negotiate which of us has the right mind or not. As I said, there seems to be nothing on the table for me. The Scrapperz have left my people alone, I consider it a blessing, but only because I know that if they bring you two down…The Cravens will be on top."

"It isn't just us that are affected," Carl remarked, "It is all the gangs in the city. The small ones that are breaking up, banding together or even being influenced by the Scrapperz. If you think the Scrapperz will not touch you, what will happen when you're the only one left for them to destroy? They will be so powerful that the Cravens will fall."

"I am not worried. But even still, I might be able to negotiate, as I said, if you were to hand me a few of your women perhaps? Cravens are always looking for a good time." Jesse growled as Wesley looked towards Trina. She struggled to keep her silence and to not bring down this sexist asshole. For some reason, it also looked like it was taking everything in Jesse not to do the same. "That dame you got there with you. She sweet one you?"

"Again Wesley, we are not here to talk about women. I will not negotiate my female recruits, _especially_ not my Captain. I am sorry, but if you will not negotiate an alliance, then I suppose there will not be one."

"I suppose not. I would give her back after my men were done with her." Jesse started to tense. As an afterthought and without really thinking, Trina slowly reached under the table and set her hand on his knee to try and relax him with her gesture. Jesse looked over to her and let his muscles loosen up before looking back at Wesley.

"No. I would rather my female recruits not be defiled by your men. The reason I called you here was because your gang has not been tainted by the Scrapperz, I figured with your manpower we could easily combat them. I see you are not willing to help."

"My help comes at a price, you know this by now. Scratch my back, I scratch yours. We will not be united." Wesley rose up and signaled his men to follow. They stopped at the door and smiled at Carl and Jesse. "I will, however, enjoy watching the Scrapperz tear you apart. Don't worry, though, I will protect your precious women when that time comes."

Jesse remained still while Trina's rage was burning inside her. The only thing keeping her calm was, oddly enough, Jesse's calmness. Once the men left, Jesse blew out a sharp breath of air, and Carl bowed his head. "I'm sorry you had to see that," Jesse rubbed his forehead and closed his eyes. "I was afraid of that, probably should have taken Roger along, but he's been busy with that bar, and Vivian absolutely refuses these meets."

"It's no problem," Trina pulled her hand back and crossed her arms. "I only wanted to punch him square in the jaw for a few of those comments."

"Oh believe me," Tracy exclaimed above the others, "I want to punch those assholes every bloody time! They're almost as bad as the Scrapperz are with their lack of respect for women!"

"It is true," Carl stood up from his chair and pushed it in slowly. "We can never arrange a meeting with Wesley. Without his help, however, I'm afraid my group is only going to fall."

"We have to find a way to weed the Scrapperz out of your group," Trina replied. She had no idea how to do it, but surely they could come up with something. "You should figure a way to test them."

"I can't do anything about the ones already in because we don't know who is already in. They've leeched themselves into my group." Carl shrugged his shoulders and bowed his head. "We are all but finished. Unless the Scrapperz disband first, we will be forced to disband. Perhaps my men can combine with yours afterwards, Jesse?" He nodded his answer and stood up, signaling Trina and Davis to do the same.

"Always a possibility if it comes to that. Let's hope it doesn't."

"No. You know what I hope?"

"What?"

"They infect the Cravens and shoot them where the sun don't shine."

"You're tellin' me." Jesse rolled his eyes and pushed his chair in. "Those people are impossible."

"Something I wish I'd thought of before all this mess started. If we banded our people together, we could have kicked the Cravens out of this town a long time ago."

"Yeah, that would have been a good idea whenever we weren't worrying about these damned Scrapperz. We will be on the lookout for Beck. You realize that the Scrapperz have Chief Warren in their pocket?" Carl tensed and cursed under his breath.

"The city wants the assistant chief in position anyway, right?"

"He wouldn't be able to be bribed!" Trina announced. "Chief Vega would tear the Scrapperz apart."

"That man has already been mass-arresting gang members belonging to nearly every gang in LA. If he were in power, he'd destroy all of us."

"Not if we lay low," Jesse responded. Chris raised an eyebrow and hummed his contemplation. "If we were to remain off the radar, not causing any trouble, his rage would simply pass over us. He's more focused on the Scrapperz and would be taking them out if Chief Warren wasn't keeping him from doing so."

"I see. Well, let's hope Chief Vega will rise up then. If and when he does, I will take into consideration your suggestion and order all my members to stand down."

"Good. Now we just have to figure out how to keep the Scrapperz out of your ranks."

"And _that's_ the tough one…"

* * *

So the Cravens won't help, Sangre and Knights are on their own, and the Scrapperz are rapidly growing and destroying the gangs from the inside like a parasite. Something I noticed long after writing this story: Wesley Craven, Wes Craven...That was _not _intentional in any way! LOL


	28. Christmas Joys and Sorrows

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 28 (Christmas Joys and Sorrows)

The Christmas season came around and the city's gangs were still spiraling out of control. Chief Warren's health was still on the decline and the Scrapperz were still constricting their grip on LA while their 'fearless' leader was nowhere to be found. There had been assassination attempts on almost every gang, including the Knights, some drug factories had blown up, along with popular meets. The city was running scared, and David was getting to the point of aggravation.

Trina studied the barren trees in the park. Jesse was somewhere in the park, jogging on one of the trails. There were Knights on guard all over the lot, but she didn't notice them. Winter was the harbinger of death, she still considered it to be, and the bare trees of the park were a fierce omen for her. Of course, the bench she was sitting on was the very bench next to where Sinjin had passed away in her arms.

"Coming by," she heard Jesse and looked up to see him jogging past. Her lips curved into a smile and she slowly shook her head. He was showing off at this point. She felt strange with him, and as they discussed already, they both had these strong feelings geared towards each other. Brought up by their close friends, of course. They both still pined for the loved ones they lost, so they accepted and acknowledged that there was a particular bond of respect between them, but no romance would happen for them. No matter how much one might want, and for Trina, she did want to feel like someone cared about her that much, loved her that much, but she wanted that person to be Sinjin. No matter how close Jesse came to being just right for her, her mind was stuck on Sinjin. Maybe it wasn't a good thing, maybe it was, either way she respected him for his own boundaries as he did for her.

Eventually their friends and the members of the gang decided to give up on trying to pin them together, but at the same time, they would refer to them like they were an item when they weren't. She'd sometimes hear Jesse referred to as 'Katrina's guy' or even herself referred to as 'Jesse's woman', 'the boss's girl'. They found it hilarious.

"You've jogged that corner about eight times now, you don't need to announce yourself!" Jesse threw his head back and laughed.

"Sure I do."

"Just finish the jog…I'm sick of sitting here!" She opened her book and grumbled at the pages. She wasn't sure why she was torturing herself, it was the first time she'd been to the park since the incident with Ross and Sinjin. They were waiting for her father to finish his shift at work so they could head on over for a Christmas celebration. Tori, unfortunately, wasn't able to come to LA due to her classes _and_ due to not wanting to be around on the chance that Beck would try to show up. "Fall and Winter, I hate both seasons."

"Trina." Vivian's voice pulled her attention from the book. She smiled as her friend walked over. Vivian was sporting a new haircut and wearing a matching red sweater that went well with her blue pants. "Didn't think I'd see you here."

"Me either. Sit down! How's it going?"

"Good, I guess." Vivian took a seat beside her. Immediately she sensed something wrong. She watched her friend gaze at the cloudy sky. "I have, um, news. Jesse's around somewhere, right?"

"Yeah, he's been jogging for a while. What's up? You know you can talk to me."

"Yeah…" Vivian leaned back on the bench and set her elbows over the top. The forlorn expression was almost too much for Trina to bear. She wanted to tell Vivian to smile, laugh, do _something_ other than looking depressed. "Trina. I'm moving." Her jaw dropped and her heart came to a stop as Vivian looked towards her.

"Moving? Where? Why!"

"Florida. I um…found out my grandmother needs someone to look after her. She can't afford a nursing home, and I really don't want anything to happen to her." This was upsetting, but she understood the necessity. Sometimes it was best to do what you had to, and maybe it was for the best. She still couldn't get the thought of Tiffany's death out of her head, so she definitely didn't want to see that happen to Vivian. "You and Jesse have each other to take care of, so it isn't like you'll need me." She started to protest, but Vivian held up her hand to keep her quiet. "And I know you two aren't 'together', together, but you get what I mean. You and he are compatible as friends so you look after each other. Well, I have to look after my grandmother."

"Yeah, I understand. I just…wish it didn't seem so sudden." Jesse started to jog back around. He spotted Vivian and came to a stop. Trina looked up at him with sorrowful eyes. "Vivian's moving to Florida to take care of her grandma, Jesse." Jesse frowned and slowly nodded. He did seem to be saddened by the news, but Trina knew he wasn't the type to keep someone from leaving.

"I guess you have to do what you have to do." He walked over and smiled sadly. "Will you keep in touch?"

"Mhm, I will."

"I don't think anyone can really replace you on the team, you know." Vivian set her hands on her thighs and flashed a tiny smile.

"You'll find someone." Vivian rubbed her neck and breathed in slowly. "Besides, is stressful dealing with this war." Vivian was one of the lucky ones, then. She was able to leave and be safe, but then, could they really be sure she'd be okay? The Scrapperz knew her, if she was spotted, they'd go after her.

"Would you like me to be with you till you move?" Trina asked. "Those Scrapperz might see you. I don't want to think something will happen to you."

"I appreciate that." Vivian reached over and hugged her, patting her gently on the back. "I'll make it just fine. I don't want to put you in that position. I'll ask Davis to escort me to the airport. You and Jesse should enjoy your Christmas with your dad."

"Wait. When do you have to leave?"

"A couple days. I'm trying to pack up all my things and get down there for grandma as soon as I can. It will be good to get there, I won't lie. All the stress with the Scrapperz, the Cravens, and every other gang out there gunning for us and Sangre is just too much."

"I understand that," Jesse remarked, "You're free to go just as long as you don't forget your friends." Vivian laughed and hugged both of them once more.

"I'd never forget you guys." She checked her watch and stood up from the bench. "I do have to go. I was just out for a walk, knew I might as well tell you now than later."

"Give us a call when you're ready to go, we should throw a proper going away party for you."

"I'll do that." With that, Vivian started to walk away. Trina felt her heart sink as Jesse sat down on the bench and shook his head. She didn't want to see her friend go, she honestly wanted to run after her and beg her to stay.

"Why does it feel like we keep losing friends?" Trina asked curiously. Jesse raised an eyebrow and Trina bowed her head. "I don't know. I just…I don't want her to go."

"Yeah, but it's better this way for her. She deserves it. She's lucky if she can get out of this life. You should follow her footsteps too, you know. Find a way out of this." He hung his elbows over the bench and Trina quickly glanced at him. He was completely serious, but she didn't want that. She was content staying at his side if she had to.

"Jesse, you're my only friend at this point."

"Doesn't mean you have to be a part of a gang."

"Well, you've been telling me that for months, and I've been telling you I'm too far deep into it."

"I know." He swept a hand in the air and shook his head. The deeper into this life one dug, the harder it was to get out. "I know it's hard to get out for the same reason we have a shit tonof soldiers following us around this park."

"Yeah. Recognition. Even if we tried to leave the gang, to start fresh, someone out there…"

"You don't have to say it." It was still sore for both of them of course. Every gang in the city wanted a piece of the Black Knights, just as they did El Sangre and the Cravens. If the leaders tried to leave, they'd take it as a sign and put out a hit on them.

"It's not like we're staying in because we have to…it's fear…" She didn't want anything to happen to her father, to her sister, to herself or anyone close to them. "Davis might take Vivian to the airport, and that's good, because any gang that spots her will go after her. So…you can't possibly ask me to leave the gang, because I'm not going to. At least…not as long as you're still a part of it. There's nowhere else for me to turn, either."

"I know, I know. I haven't been bothering you about it for a while, I just…I guess it's on my mind." He looked off to the side and lowered his voice to a state she almost couldn't hear. "I don't want anything to happen to you. I'd rather you be safe. Find a way out and live your life…"

"I wish. I'm too far down this hole." She checked her phone and smiled tenderly at a text message sent to her. "Dad's off work now, we should start heading over for dinner."

"Why am I coming along again?"

"Because he likes you…"

"I swear to god that man is going to think we're dating."

"Pretty sure he already does." She pushed the phone back into her pocket and Jesse groaned loudly, letting his head fall back onto the bench. "Oh get over it, it's frustrating for me too, but I'm used t it now."

"I am too, it's just annoying." She watched him get up and start for the car in the parking lot. Her heart quaked as she thought back onto Sinjin. What would he want her to do? She was young, so sure she wanted to love again, but she'd never imagined her heart going to anyone but Sinjin. Even now, she didn't want to give her heart out even though Sinjin was no longer around. "You coming or what?"

"Huh?" She snapped herself back to reality and looked to Jesse's car. He was standing by the door, waving for her to come. "Sorry." She pushed herself up and ran to the car, looking back at the park once more. "Tell me we won't have to come back here again. Thought I could handle it, but I can't."

"Yeah don't worry, we're done with the park."

"Great."

* * *

So Vivian's moving now, hope she will be safe in Florida. Maybe other gangs won't go after her, once she's gone we really won't know. Your thoughts on the chapter


	29. A Father's Proudest Moment

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N: So this is kind of the continuation of the last chapter, so it was a part of the last chapter. Here you are.

* * *

Chapter 29 (A Father's Proud Moment)

Making their way to her dad's home, Trina had a random thought that sparked a conversation with Jesse. In a moment of boredom and an attempt at not concentrating on Vivian's moving away. "Jesse. We know God's real, and apparently he gave us free will, but go with me for a second here." He parked alongside the curb and turned his head to her, smiling as though he were expecting some sort of joke to come from her. "What if it's not exactly like that? Instead, God's a writer. Maybe he's writing out our lives, our fates. What would you say to that?"

"I'd say…What are you smoking, and I thought you didn't do drugs?" He laughed and she quickly smacked his arm. "Well, it's a good question either way, I suppose." She pouted and crossed her arms, smirking back at him.

"I thought it was."

"I still think God created us and gave us free will and everything just so we can make decisions about our lives. I also believe in fate, as well as 'shit happens'. If something's meant to happen, it's going to happen, no getting around it."

She tapped her chin and tilted her head. "Destiny and fate, pretty much."

"Yeah." They left the car and Trina waited for Jesse to walk around to her side. "I also believe the world is cruel. I don't know about whether God is cruel or not, I think people neglect to realize that the guy gave us all free will, right?" She leaned back on the car and looked up to the sky, humming slightly. "So it's like this. Why blame God for the bad shit that happens? Losing Sasha, losing Sinjin, these gang fights, all the crime in the world…He gave us free will, and some people chose to go the darker route while others don't. It's mankind's own damned fault and the fault of the people who are screwed up. Then again, there is the thing called the Devil. Who, I don't know, likes to tempt people to do evil things. So…if anyone should get the blame, it's that guy."

"I suppose so." She laughed. It was nice to have these deep conversations every now and then, and that was just when she got him talking. "Let's get inside, I'm sure dad feels lonely enough."

"Your dad never seems to act lonely, just stern."

"He's tough, but he can be soft." She was slowly getting to having a real father-daughter relationship with David. It was something that made her extremely happy, but at the same time, sad. "At some point, though, he's going to know I'm with the Knights. I'm kind of scared of that."

"Maybe he'll try to help you to get out." A true possibility, then again, his way of getting her out of the Knights might involve sending her far away. She wasn't ready for what he'd do or what he'd say. "Would you tell him, though?"

"Yeah, but when I'm ready. That's not today…"

"Understandable." She rang the doorbell and looked down to the flower garden under the front window. The flowers were still there, well kept by her father. She reached down and picked a small purple flower from the garden. She caught Jesse's gaze and turned to him.

"I'm surprised dad's been keeping up with the flower garden. I would have thought he'd stop paying attention to it." She was astonished that she'd not noticed it the other times she'd been by the house.

"Never pictured him to be the type to have one."

"Well, I don't know." The door opened and David gazed at the two with a gentle smile. "Hey dad, how's it going? I notice you're keeping the flower garden up."

"Yeah, I've got to keep appearances." The man stepped to the side, motioning them in. "Come in, dinner will be ready soon. It's good to see you." He was in a peculiarly happy mood, and of course, he was in uniform. Only, there was something different about it. She studied it closely while making her way to the couch. Jesse sat on the other side and raised his eyebrows up as David spread his hands out. "So, I have a little bit of news. Good and bad."

"What's the bad news?"

"Well…" He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "Chief Warren passed away in his sleep after fighting off many recommendations of resignations…" Trina's jaw dropped and Jesse leaned back in surprise. They hadn't actually expected Chief Warren to pass anytime soon, not to mention, they hadn't heard anything about it on the news. "The good news is: The mayor has appointed me for the new Chief of Police."

"Oh my god, that's amazing! But…how come it wasn't on the news?"

"Well, the city board wanted to keep it under wraps apparently until everything was situated. I'm to be going public in a few hours, actually." She stood up and hugged her father's neck. He hugged her back and pat her upper back.

"I'm proud of you, Dad. Happy for you."

"Thank you."

Jesse chuckled once and flashed a proud smile as well, "I'd say it's about damned time, Sir." David stepped back and pulled on his cuffs, then his collar.

"You're telling me! Chief Warren had been so adamant in keeping his position but couldn't be removed because technically he hadn't been doing anything wrong. Just…getting old." He folded his arms and bowed his head, breathing out slowly. "I want you two to be in the audience, see my speech tonight."

"I'd be glad to," Trina replied. "And I'm _sure_ Jesse will be there too." She shot Jesse a look and he laughed once before nodding his answer. Of course he'd be there, no matter how much he didn't like to leave the mansion. She looked back and bounced once on her heels. "I can't wait till Tori hears the news. Have you told her yet?"

"Not yet, but I'm going to give your sister a call."

"Let's tell her now! I'm sure her classes this semester are close to over, so maybe she knows her final grades. More good news, right?

"Yes." David laughed and made his way to the kitchen. "I've been thinking. I may want to move to a nicer neighborhood. One where the city gangs cannot find me. My first act will be bringing down the gangs. Or at least, working towards it."

"Yeah, that's a good goal." Trina made her way to the counter and looked back to Jesse. "What about the Black Knights? Will you be going after that gang?"

"If they challenge me, if they challenge the city, then yes. If they do not, if they fade away into obscurity and opt to do nothing, then I will not go after them unless I absolutely have to. My primary focus right now is the Scrapperz. They keep turning up in police reports, and apparently _other_ gangs are suffering because of them. Now is the time to act, but I'll save that part for my speech." He flashed a confident smirk, then moved to the oven. "Let's see how the turkey's coming along, should be ready any minute now."

"You have any help preparing the food? Need any help now?"

"I had some help. That's…another thing I wanted to discuss with you." Trina watched his face turn serious. She stepped back, concerned, as the man turned to her. "I've um, I've started seeing someone new." Her eyes widened and Jesse looked away from the television and over to the man. "Her name is Grace, we met at the district office a couple weeks ago."

"So you've started dating again?"

"Yes." She was flabbergasted. Sure she wanted him to be happy, but at the same time, what about Holly? "I know I spent a lot of good years with your mom before she had her affairs, and I did love her. Now that she's gone, I've got an empty home and find myself living day to day with nobody to talk to."

"I…I mean I get it-I just, I guess I don't understand."

"When you've lost someone, and I know you understand how it feels, but it's hard to think about ever trying to date again. Especially if you loved that person." Jesse and Trina both nodded their heads. Jesse rose from the couch and made his way over, frowning subtly. "You can still be attracted to other people, but at some point of time you have to realize that it's okay to try and be with others. No one can, or should, or will ever replace the person that was in your life. I know that's a fear for people like me, like you, to think that dating someone new is replacing that one person that you loved for so long…but it isn't. It's choosing whether to be happy, or to be alone."

Trina started to bow her head as she casually pushed her hands into her pockets. When was it that her father became profound? Her heart started to sink and she slowly shook her head. "I guess the process is different for everyone. I know for me personally, I couldn't be ready to start dating someone new yet."

"Same," Jesse swayed to the right and folded his arms. "But maybe you're right. Though, even if you do fall for someone new…" Trina glanced over at him and he started to breathe in slowly. "I'm afraid I wouldn't understand either, Mr. Vega. It is a confusing feeling, to be honest. Knowing you still have feelings for someone who isn't here any longer, and yet, you have feelings for someone that is alive and in your life."

David removed the turkey from the oven and set it carefully on the countertop. He leaned over it for a moment, staring at the wall across the room. "I think. The best way to say it is, you never stop loving the person who passed on. Just like, I don't think Trina could ever stop loving Sinjin, and she should never stop, but then I know it sounds selfish if you start to look at someone else. It isn't. Sometimes you have to think, would the person you loved want you to dwell on the fact that they're gone, so much so that you remain alone and unhappy? Or would they want you to live life the best that you can?"

"It is a good point," Trina muttered.

"I guess my point, Trina. You're still young, and afterlife or not, would Sinjin want you pining for him for the rest of your life?"

"No…" It was still too confusing for her, and she honestly didn't want to think too much more on it. She looked over to Jesse, he was somewhat stone-faced and looking off into space. She breathed in slowly and returned to her father. "I'm happy for you though, if you're ready to try and move on again, then do it. I probably will one day when I'm ready, I don't know…it still hurts to think of myself being with anyone else. Will we be meeting Grace for dinner?"

"No, she's with her family at the moment, but she will be at the station later when I give my speech to the public. You can meet her then."

"Okay."

Dinner was amazing, and immediately after dinner, they drove down to the station where the press was waiting with the Mayor and the rest of city hall. Trina and Jesse made their way to the front row of the audience, directly in front of the stage and podium where David was standing.

She watched her father walk up to the stage and smiled as he stopped to give a professional looking hug to a strange woman that she could only assume was Grace. The woman was tall, but just an inch shorter than David. She had dark brown, almost black hair that curled around and underneath her ears. She was tan and with chocolate brown eyes. "Is that her?" Jesse asked under his breath. "This 'Grace' woman?"

"Yeah, she doesn't seem anything like his type." Rather by coincidence than anything, she nearly resembled Beck in her appearance. She thought nothing of it since she knew her own mind was trying to place Beck in the crowd somewhere, as she would suspect him of being there. "Eh, I won't judge who my dad decides to date. Let's just look around and make sure the Scrapperz aren't here."

"Not like we could do anything if they were."

"True, but at least we'll know if they're up to anything."

"That's a good point."

Trina watched her dad puff his chest out and walk proudly to the podium. Her heart beat for him as he firmly grasped the edges and looked out over the cheering audience. Cameras flashed as the news media rolled. David lifted his hand, smiling calmly at the cameras. As the clapping subsided, he straightened his back and became very straight faced, while keeping to his small smile. "I have recently accepted the mayor's appointment to the LA Chief of Police, and I am both pleased and proud to be your choice of representing the LAPD."

"Lately, there has been a lot of crime out on the streets. Uncontrollable as Chief Warren turned his head." David clenched his right hand and brought it down like a hammer on the podium. "I say no more! I will not turn my nose, and from this point on I will take a zero tolerance policy on gang and crime in our streets. We have entered a new era, an era where law enforcement _must_ take a stand. We can no longer let innocents become the victims of selfish criminal acts!" He spoke with great power, instilling the city with a strong sense of security. "As your Chief, I will go down to the undercity, I will fight to clean our streets. For our families, for our children, the streets of Los Angeles will be safe again. I will not rest until I've plucked every criminal off the streets. Mark my words, we will find relief."

David turned his gaze to Trina. His lips flattened into a thin line and he turned to the crowd as the wind blew through his hair. "When my daughters were young, they could play out in the yard, laughing without any care in the world. Nothing threatened them, because there was no grave danger. But now, within five months, because of gang activity…I lost my wife, my youngest daughter has moved out of the state for her own protection, and in an unrelated incident my eldest lost a loved one. We have let the crime in this city grow too far, and turned our heads too often, so often that it is affecting our homes, our friends, our loved ones." His jaw locked and he swept his hand through the air, raising his voice with determination. "No more! The LAPD will no longer stand for it. My promise to you-we will return to those days of security. I will weed out corruption, I will take no bribes, and I will tolerate no crime _in my town. In our town_. Stand with me and I will stand by you."

He grasped the edges of the podium as the audience stood and applauded. Trina grinned and rose up as well with Jesse, clapping for her father. Though she was torn, she knew Jesse would keep the Knights down so her father's war would not extend to them.

She did feel like they were being watched, however, as if Beck were hiding somewhere. She glanced around warily until Jesse tapped her wrist and leaned in, speaking quietly. "Carl and I have our gang positioned around this area, the Scrapperz will not be a problem."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Thanks, then…" She continued her applause and studied her father as he raised his hand up in the air, taking a powerful stance. Maybe with him cracking down, she could relax and slowly pull away from this gang life, like Jesse wanted for her. Though, every time she thought about it, the Scrapperz did something to pull her right back in. Now was not the time to think on it, however. It was time to celebrate. "I wish Tori could be here, though." They had called her up to talk about David's promotion, she was thrilled and said she'd pray for success. Much to Trina's pride, Tori made straight As in her online classes, with the exception of two Bs out of five total classes. She was ready for the coming semester. "Dad and Tori are both on the road to success. On one hand, I couldn't be prouder, and on the other…I'm jealous."

"You are?"

"Yeah. It doesn't feel like I'm going anywhere. The last thing I would ever regret is meeting you, Vivian, and Tiffany, but…maybe I should have listened to you guys when I had the chance."

"You still have chances."

"We've already had this conversation, Jesse. Now isn't the time for it, either."

"True, right now you should just be here for your dad." She smiled and nodded. There was no other place she felt she ought to be at this minute. She hoped for the best, and was ready for him to clean up the town.

* * *

So quite a bit has happened in this chapter, tell me your thoughts of that which caught your attention and so forth. The city gangs aren't going to like the new Chief, because he will work hard to destroy them. Will he succeed? I will say this much: A Vega may be the downfall of the city gangs of LA. Which one? ;)


	30. Blood Red Christmas

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 30 (Blood Red Christmas)

Trina moved slowly along a quiet street, looking into the cold winter breeze as she stared up at blue sky that was usually shielded by leaves belonging to the trees that framed the street and arched over it. Now, the branches simply looked like the fingers of death trying to reach up to the heavens. She hugged her jacket tight against her body and started to frown as she heard the distant roar of a siren.

"I hope this winter ends soon. It's far too cold." She wasn't sure who she was talking to, if not just thinking out loud. Her eyes drifted to a yellow house in the distance, Robbie's home. She'd not seen or heard much of him lately. "I wonder if I can't see how the guy's doing." As much as she didn't like the man, she was curious as to how he was holding up. Tori would want to know how Robbie was doing and if he was getting any help.

Her hands fell into her jacket pocket as she moved along the gravel road, glancing back over her shoulder when she felt an odd sensation run down her spine. "Someone there?" The only response that came was the sound of those distant sirens piercing through the cold, silent air. Fear ran along her body like icy tendrils reaching out to choke her. "Answer me…" It was like this ever since Beck made his threats those few months ago. With his disappearance, she still felt his fiery, murderous eyes on her. He was everywhere, and there was truth in that matter when one considered how the Scrapperz were now everywhere.

She ignored the feeling for the moment and continued towards Robbie's house, stopping halfway when she felt a sudden force before her. She thought she saw a mist outside Robbie's bedroom window, but figured it to be a trick of the wind and light.

Behind her, the sirens grew louder, deafening. She lifted her eyebrows up and continued for the house with growing concern. Her heart pounded violently in her chest when she saw Robbie's parents through the window. Mr. Shapiro was hugging his wife in his arms, his eyes were closed and his arms were tight around her. Mrs. Shapiro was sobbing violently. The sirens increased, the ambulance turned onto the empty street.

Trina spun around to see the vehicle racing to the Shapiro home. "What's going on?" She broke into a run and watched the paramedics run into the house. She crouched beneath the window, listening as a police officer took a statement. Her heart stopped when she heard the word _'Overdose'_. This was not suicide, however. He'd been shooting himself with heroin, he put too much in his system. She covered her mouth and clenched her eyes shut.

_"Your fault."_

What had she become that she indirectly led to this? Robbie was gone. She took out her cell and started moving away from the house, slouching her shoulders. She was in too much shock to remain there, but had no idea where she'd been going before. She called Jesse's phone and waited for him to answer, shuddering once he did. "J-Jesse…You remember Robbie? Shapiro?"

"Yeah?"

"I passed his house…he…he's gone, Jesse."

"What?"

"He overdosed on drugs." There was a long pause as Trina sat on a curb, trying to block the noise of the sirens from her mind. "I…There's a consequence for everything. I introduced him to drugs. It's my fault, Jesse…"

"It was wrong what you did then, yeah, you acknowledge that. You may have enabled it at the start, but you left it alone all this time. The fact that he continued on using drugs was his own decision. Don't beat yourself up for that, Trina. I know it's hard not to, but this time it wasn't your doing. You didn't hold him down after all these months and tell him to take drugs, you did it once and nothing more."

"I know, I just…I'm always reminded it seems like. Why? It isn't fair."

"I know it's not. Just take a deep breath."

"I let my anger get the better of me, Jesse. Everything is a mess. I'm starting to think…I'm starting to think maybe when Ross shot Sinjin, he should have-maybe even Beck should have just k-"

"Stop there, Trina." She frowned and let her eyes drop. "I know it's hard, and you're still seeing consequences for your actions. It doesn't make you less of a person than you are." She didn't deserve to live after all this, though. She couldn't possibly stand to live. Was that the only way out of this life? Death?

"I can't do this anymore, Jesse. I just…I don't know how to deal with this. Everywhere I go I see their faces. Ross, Andre, Mom, now even Robbie's going to haunt me. Hell, I still feel like Sinjin's right beside me, disappointed in everything I do. I can't take it! Not to mention, I'm scared-scared Beck's a lot closer than we think. I'm constantly paranoid that he's going to show up out of nowhere. I can't take this, Jesse. It's too stressing!"

She knew he wouldn't say anything about being right, but she wanted him to. She wanted him to scold her, to tell her she was stupid for not listening to him. "It's going to be okay, Trina. Just take a few deep breaths, try and focus on something else and come on home."

"Yeah, you're right…I'll-I'll do that. Thanks. I'm going to call Vivian, see if she's making it to the airport all right." She took a deep breath and hung up. She dialed Vivian's number and continued down the street. She could hear more sirens in the distance, though these sirens were coming in every direction. It was as though her father's war on gangs was just beginning.

"Trina!" Vivian was frantic in her answering the phone, startling Trina. She moved her hand to her chest and heard gunfire in the background. "I'm getting on the plane, but it's going to be delayed. The Scrapperz, they're here! They tried to get me!"

"What's going on!"

"I was about to call you guys. Davis, he got me on the plane but-but he's been shot. The Scrapperz got him. There's Knights, Sangre members all fighting. Even the Cravens are here." She cursed and began looking around frantically, fearing the worst.

"Will you be all right?"

"Yeah. I don't know what's going on. Airport security's everywhere, people are running everywhere. I'm staying out of sight, but this is too much! Where are you and Jesse?"

"I'm just going for a walk, Jesse's back at the mansion."

"The gangs are rioting, Trina. Since Chief Vega stepped up, the gangs are going crazy. The Scrapperz _and_ the Cravens especially. I'm not sure which one just tried to take me out, but they shot Davis! You need to look out. They could be after you too." That would explain why she felt like she was being watched. She wasn't even armed at the moment. She looked back to the Shapiro house, contemplating rushing over.

She didn't think it would be a good idea, the paramedics wouldn't keep her safe from this. She had to fight her way back to her own car and get home. That was to say, if she was being watched by one of the rival gangs. "You said some of El Sangre was there?"

"Yeah, Davis asked for them to support us."

"That's not good for them though, they need their members on location." El Sangre had been so infected by the Scrapperz that they were now all but dead. Every Sangre Captain rank and every single Sangre Lieutenant was either in jail or dead. Most of the warrior sects were also either in jail or dead. The only ones really left were Carl, Tracy, and Adam. The Scrapperz kept them from being able to rebuild since they could never figure out who to trust. "How are they holding up?"

"Badly. Though I think the situation's being handled because there are a _lot_ of police officers sweeping the airport now. I see a lot of bodies out there…It's not good."

"We knew this war was going to get worse, we knew it would probably get worse when my dad stepped up, now we just have to figure out how to survive it." She felt a pair of eyes on her once more and began to grow increasingly nervous. In the distance she could see a small diner where several police officers were parked, so thinking fast, she made a mad dash for the diner. Though, if the gang was crazy enough to attack an airport, it might not be farfetched to attack a diner. "My car is a couple blocks away. I just have to get there. I know I'm being watched…"

"Trina, no, call Jesse or someone-have someone pick you up. Don't try to fight your way through anything. They may have guns and weapons ready."

"All right fine." She rolled her eyes and entered the diner. "I'll just call Jesse." Though it might not be a good idea to contact him, especially since it would make him a target, and she did not want to do that. "Or probably one of my lieutenants."

"Yeah. I'll call Jesse…I need to tell him what happened to Davis." She frowned and slowly nodded as Vivian hung up. She couldn't believe her ears. Davis was dead. The Scrapperz managed to take out the second highest rank in the gang, or the Cravens. Either one, she wasn't sure.

It didn't take long for her Lieutenant to reach her. Rachel arrived in a red car with black tinted windows, which obscured her from view. She was smart not to drive up in a black or silver vehicle that would be recognized by the other gangs. Trina jumped into the passenger seat and pointed. "Thanks Rachel. Drive out to the mansion, hurry."

"On it, Trina." She pushed the gas pedal down and sped off. Trina looked out towards the neighborhoods they were passing, and eventually came up on the area that Carl resided. "The police are everywhere!"

"You're telling me. It's good that they're taking action now, but it doesn't help the gangs. Davis is gone, Rachel." Rachel gasped and Trina swept her forehead and studied what looked to be smoke rising into the sky. "Wait, what's that? Rachel, turn onto the street."

"All right." When she did, they saw a horrific sight. At Carl's house, his car was blown to pieces. Tracy and Adam were inside the vehicle, while Carl was lying in the street, bloody and barely alive. "Shit!"

"Okay, stop here, I have to check on him!" She ran from the car and raced to Carl's side, kneeling down. He opened his eyes slowly and let out a soft groan. "Carl? Carl who did this?"

"C-Cravens…" The air left her lungs as Carl moved his bloody hand to his head. "Could be…Scrapperz. Not sure…."

"No. Hang in there, I'll get you some help!"

"No time." She looked down to see half his body blown off. Her body began to pale as disgust and nausea shot through her. "Warn Wesley…I heard one of the Scrapperz recently…they were going to start planting seeds in the Cravens gang. They're going to go the same route."

"Shit, shit, shit!" She stood up and covered her mouth, retching violently. Rachel was already on the phone, trying to dial the police. It was too late for Carl, she knew that much. Now that the sights had turned to the Cravens, how in the hell were they supposed to warn the arrogant bastards that they were about to be toppled? "Carl. What do we-"

"El Sangre…is gone…" With that, Carl drew his final breath. Trina's eyes widened and she slowly stepped backwards. The Knights were now the top gang in LA. This wasn't good, not when she knew it meant other gangs would want to take them out as well.

Then she realized that whoever blew up Carl's vehicle was still around. Her heart pounded as she looked around for signs of any other people, then bolted for Rachel's car. "Drive! Get out of here!"

"Why? What's happening?"

"Scrapperz, Cravens, I'm not sure which, but one of them might still be around. Drive!"

"On it!" As Rachel sped off, Trina gazed out the back window, making sure there wasn't anyone following them. Though, unsurprisingly, she did see several gang members running out into the street, all shooting at the car, but there were no cars chasing after them.

She took a deep breath and leaned back, jolting upright when she heard her phone going off. It was Jesse calling, probably to check on her. She closed her eyes and put her hand to her stomach.

"The more I push out, the harder this life pulls me. Too much…just too damn much."

* * *

So many things happened here. An entire gang was destroyed from the inside out. Davis is gone, and Robbie's passed. The war's getting intense, and like a parasite the Scrapperz will be latching onto the Cravens soon enough.


	31. Stress and Uncertainty

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 31 (Stress and Uncertainty)

"It's clear the Scrapperz have rebuilt themselves into a much stronger unit," Jesse announced while sitting at the table in a hunched position. His fingertips tapped each other beneath his nose. Sinjin sat beside him while Roger sat on the other side. Every Lieutenant was in the room as well, with a few of the warrior sects with them. "We're going to have to promote and grow stronger as well. At the same time, we need to keep off the radar to avoid conflict with the LAPD. We know the Cravens are getting aggressive as well, so we neither want to be provoked or be the ones provoking."

"Everything we do has to be kept under the radar," Trina advised. "El Sangre's out…Either the Cravens or the Scrapprez took out Carl and his two underbosses. Rachel and I could not recognize what gang was responsible, but we know the Scrapperz were trying to clear them out. Carl told me the Scrapperz were planning on hitting the Cravens too, so they may already have seeds planted." Jesse nodded carefully and closed his eyes.

"I'm going to call off any recruiting for the time being. I don't want to risk having the Scrapperz fill our ranks with people. Initiatives and outsiders will remain in that rank for now." He looked towards Vivian's Lieutenants. Ray, who took over when Trina was promoted to Captain, Jared, and Travis. "First order of business. Vivian has moved to Florida and will no longer be affiliated with the knights. Travis?" Travis stood firm and slowly nodded, albeit distressed that Vivian was no longer here. "I want you to take her place. You're now captain." He pushed one of the boxes on the table towards him.

There were five boxes. One had a gold ring, two were red and two were blue. She had no idea who would become the next underboss, but she did have a nagging suspicion as to who it might be. Travis took the box and opened it to reveal a small red ring. He closed his eyes and removed the ring, accepting his position. "You'll have to choose among your warrior sects to find someone to be a Lieutenant." Jesse pushed one of the blue rings towards Travis and smiled knowingly. "I'm sure you'll find someone to do the job just fine."

"I will, sir." Trina looked to Roger, wondering if it would be him to be the next underboss. However, the underboss was usually the one closest to the boss himself. They took care of one another, so while she thought it could be Roger, she somehow knew it wouldn't be. When he looked towards her, the pleasant expression on his face told her he knew the same.

"Starting to question the gold ring," Trina muttered softly. Jesse chuckled and bat the box towards her. No words were needed, it seemed everyone in the room knew well that she was getting the promotion. She knew it was hard for him, though. If he cared for her the way he seemed like, then putting her in such a high rank like Sasha had been had to be hell. "Okay, I accept it." She took her new ring and slid it onto her finger, chuckling nervously as the gold ring sparkled in the light.

"I guess you know you need to pick among your lieutenants to replace you. Unless you feel like someone else is fit." Trina looked among her lieutenants and smiled at Rachel. Over the few months, she'd seen a lot of promise in the girl.

"Well, Rachel has been there when she needs to be, and has shown a lot of promise. So, I think she's ready for the position." Rachel's eyes widened and her lips turned up into a proud grin. Drake and Jacob pat Rachel on the back as she accepted her ring. "Rachel, you'll have to choose one of your warriors to promote up to Lieutenant."

"I will."

"Okay." Trina looked to Jesse. "What are we going to do now? Sangre is gone, and I'm guessing they were too infected by the Scrapperz to be able to take in any of their members?"

"Unfortunately, especially since so many of theirs have also been put in prison or killed, we can't do anything to help them." Jesse leaned back and moved his hands along the table. "The Cravens-I don't believe we can negotiate with them, and I highly doubt Wesley will listen if we try to warn him of the Scrapperz trying to infect his ranks." That was unfortunate, but true. By now, tensions were too high with the Cravens to even talk to them either. Especially after what event occurred after the prior meeting. There was no longer room for negotiation.

"After the last meeting, I think any possible negotiation ties were ripped apart." The Cravens invaded the homes of several Knights, attacking the female members after the prior meeting. Because they didn't know where Jesse's mansion was, they couldn't get to Trina, but unfortunately they did get to Vivian. Trina understood it to be part of the reason Vivian was moving, even though she would not admit it. This all because Jesse refused to hand Trina over to them. "I say we let the Scrapperz destroy them, but at the same time, we know we'll be next on their agenda."

"Which is exactly why I say we pause all recruitments. We are at a tense spot. We're bystanders in the war between the LAPD and the Scrapperz, but we are already at war with both the Scrapperz and Cravens. Half of the smaller gangs are in the process of being wiped out." Jesse moved his hand to his chin and narrowed his eyes. He clenched his jaw and exhaled slowly. "I'm almost tempted to disband the entire gang, but right now we're the only thing that can keep this town from going to hell…we can take out the Scrapperz and Cravens. We just need to take out Beck and Wesley."

"Beck is god knows where, and Wesley is…well he's not going to just let anyone near him. Maybe if you use bait…a decoy?" His eyes flew to the corners and he stared at her, aghast.

"No. Just no. I will not subject anyone to that."

"Well. What about me? I could ensnare him in a trap."

Jesse's eyes drifted away and he let out a small grunt. "Hell no." She chuckled softly and turned away. Why was she not surprised he'd be so quick to turn down that suggestion? "Right now the only thing we can do about Cravens is just to let the Scrappers choke the life out of them. The LAPD can and will take care of the rest of them, I'm sure."

"So do we just do nothing?" Roger took a sip of his water. Jesse looked up at him and shrugged. "We need to do something. If we just sit here and remain neutral, won't we lose out?"

"Maybe…I just cannot see how any action will end well. I do not want to lose anyone else."

"Don't want to lose anyone else?" Roger's gaze flattened and he gently set his cup on the table. "Forgive me if I'm out of line here, but Jesse…ever since Sasha, you've been less eager to fight these other gangs than ever. You used to be the one to take control of the reins, and damn anyone that gets in the way. You were going to take LA by storm if you had to, but then Sasha passed and you just…stopped." Trina looked from Roger to Jesse with great sorrow. He was plenty strong, she thought, and always in control. Though she couldn't blame him for being reserved and holding back. Jesse closed his eyes and took a slight bow of his head.

"Maybe. Either I've hardened or I've softened, but maybe I've wised up. Whatever way you look at it, I don't want to see anyone hurt and I'm content with my position. If the other gangs don't respect or fear us, then that's fine as long as we remain in a position that they aren't threatened by."

"Give them something to fear, that's all I'm saying. You could be destructive, you could be the boss of the city."

"And I choose to be comfortable where I am at." He crossed his arms and shook his head. "With the loss of Sangre, I _am_ the one on top now, regardless."

"You know that means the gangs are going to come after you. Everyone wants to be on top, and if they don't fear you, they'll tear you apart. Remaining neutral is just as bad as actively fighting, and you know it! You can't be on top and be neutral."

"I'm _not_ remaining neutral." Jesse stood up and walked towards the refrigerator. Trina folded her hands on the table and studied a vein in her hand, distracting herself slightly. She had her opinion, but she didn't want to voice it. She thought Roger had a point, but she also agreed with Jesse. "I'm waiting for the Scrapperz and the Cravens to destroy each other, then I'm going to kick their asses out of this town." He grabbed a beer from the fridge and turned to face the group. "If you expect me to be feared by the smaller gangs, believe me, we will be once they see us take those two out. We just have to be patient."

"Patience. Jesse, you just seem to be more talk than action. You've talked about going to war with the Cravens, about getting rid of the Scrapperz, but you've not _done_ anything."

"Because waiting is sometimes the best move…" Trina could see him getting agitated. She could wait until this meeting was over to say anything, it didn't feel right for her to interrupt these two. She met Jesse's exhausted eyes. His body was rigid and his muscles tense from what she could see. She frowned and looked towards the living room. He grabbed a bottle of ibuprofen from the cabinet beside the fridge and walked over to the counter. "I need to rest. For now, this meeting is adjourned. I will give further instructions later."

"All right." Everyone slowly made their way out as Jesse leaned against his palms on the counter. Trina stood up and moved over, setting her hand to his shoulder.

"You all right, Jesse?"

"No, I think I'm losing it." Her hand slid to the upper portion of his arm and she carefully felt, startled by how tense he was. "We're at war, we just lost an ally, and we have another gang rising up to try and kill us. Roger may be right, maybe I've gotten too soft."

"I don't know. You've been telling me all this time that I've not lost myself because I cared about people, and you care about those in your group. It's clear you're a decent person. I think you're right to say wait it out until the Cravens and Scrapperz are weak. You need to relax, you're tense as hell." He put his hand to his neck and leaned his head into it, sighing heavily. She felt his neck pop and removed her hand from him. "All right, let's move this to the couch, I'll give you a shoulder and back massage."

He raised an eyebrow as she started to push him to the couch. "Seriously?"

"Yeah, I did this for Dad all the time growing up. I've got good hands."

"That is…nice to know…I think?" She sat him on the couch and moved behind him as he slowly leaned into the cushion. Trina moved her hands onto his shoulders and began rubbing, asserting pressure into his tight spots. He let out a soft groan and dropped his head slightly. "That does feel good, actually."

"Thought it might." She continued the massage, focusing on his rough patches and trying to loosen up his muscles. "Being a martial artist, it's good to know the specific parts of the body that you need to stretch before the muscles become too tight. Massaging is a good way to relieve some of the stress."

"Uh huh…"

"Now, about the Scrapperz, the Cravens, and all of them-I say you're right, we should wait them out. Roger has a point that diving in and taking them out one by one might work, but at the same time, I think they'd be expecting it. So I think they'd be ready, _especially_ now that Sangre is out."

"Yeah, I give it a couple months and they'll both be weak enough for a takeover. However, I do think we should try and find Beck. Still…if we're being perfectly honest here, there is a reason I put you as underboss."

"Just looking out for me?" She already understood that he didn't want her getting involved in the field. For whatever reason, he didn't want something to happen to her or for her to do something else she'd regret. The underboss rarely _had_ to go out. It was the Captains, the Lieutenants and everyone beneath that did.

"Yeah. I…" His eyes dropped for a minute and he looked off to the side, as though what he had to say was difficult. "I'm tired of losing people. Roger's right about one thing, I've probably softened up. Just thinking about Vivian coming close to death, Davis getting shot, and what happened with Tiffany months ago. These are people that I've personally taken in because they had nowhere left to turn to, people I've grown to care about. I don't want to have to lose anyone else, and then there's you. You still have no business being in this life, look what it's done to you."

"What has it done to me?"

"You're paranoid, you've lost people you care about already. You're getting to a point where you really won't be able to get away from this life, and the longer you stay as a captain-"

"So you're worried about me. Is that it?"

He paused and flicked his eyes towards the fireplace. "Maybe…I don't know what I'm thinking these days." She started to smile as her heart rose in her chest. After a few seconds, she looked up and started to question her own feelings. As her heart beat, she still thought about Sinjin, but she cared about Jesse. What was this? She shook away her thoughts and continued to focus on the massage.

"Life can be a confusing thing, I guess."

"Damn right it can be." He chuckled softly and started to relax his body. "I've got half a mind to find a way to send you to Texas to be with your sister."

"You can try. But I don't think you'd be rid of me that easily. Especially since you're the one that's got me in this position."

"And I'm sorry for that."

"Don't be, where I'm at now, I guess was all my decision…where we go from here, we'll just have to see where life leads us. I guess that's the idea?"

"Maybe."

* * *

So what are your thoughts and observations here?


	32. Attempted Negotiations

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N: So no one noticed Trina's massage to Jesse last chapter huh? XD. Just bear in mind so when a certain thing happens in the future it doesn't seem sudden. Johnny you may enjoy this chapter since it involves something you were sayin' you wanted to see in a prior review XD

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Chapter 32 (Attempted Negotiations)

"Come on, it's the New Year," Wesley pleaded as he paced in front of Jesse. Trina stood behind the recliner Jesse was in, narrowing her eyes onto the man. Wesley was aware now more than ever that the Scrapperz were infiltrating his people, and he was in need of an alliance before they tore his gang apart. "Let's make a new year's resolution here, buddy! Let's negotiate an alliance!" Of course Wesley invited them to his own home, which probably wasn't the best idea. They had their three Captains waiting in case anything went wrong.

"We tried to warn you this would happen, and if memory serves, you shut us down." Wesley stopped in front of Jesse and started to chuckle. "You wanted to negotiate using one of my captains, who now happens to be my underboss for sex." He lifted his hand, motioning to Trina, then moved it back down to the arm of the chair, grasping it firmly. "Upon rejection, you invaded several of my female recruits, attacking them in their home." His lips moved into a sneer as his face tightened. "You're lucky I didn't tear you apart myself. I should have, and you know I could and _would_ have."

"Look Jesse, we can let bygones be bygones here, right? I'm suffering, we need help."

"My knights weren't suffering from what your men did to them?" Jesse leaned forward and pressed his palms and fingertips together. "I have every mind to watch the Scrapperz, to watch every small gang out there, rise up and devour you whole. You must think you're pretty badass when you're turning down someone that needs help, but I bet it doesn't look so good on the other side, does it?" He chuckled softly and lifted his hand up, gazing at his nails. "It feels pretty good to be the one dejecting you for a change."

"Look! Jesse, you're making a big mistake. I-I can help you. We can help each other!"

"When we met the first time the Scrapperz were a problem, we agreed to help each other. You, me, and Carl, so we could fend off their every attack. Then you backed down on your side of the deal, now Carl and El Sangre is gone. You expect me to help you?"

"Please, half my ranks are already thrown into chaos!" He looked to Trina, as if expecting her to help him out. She looked down her nose at him and folded her arms on the back of the recliner, leaning over Jesse somewhat. "You! You're his woman-talk to him." She raised an eyebrow and Jesse slowly moved his hand to his forehead, groaning softly. "You soften him, right? Get him to help!"

"Well, first off, he and I are _not _a couple." She straightened her back and pushed up with her arms. Her fingers dug into the recliner as her eyelids slanted further. "I am his underboss, and I am to be treated with respect, as is he. I cannot talk him into or out of anything. If he's made his mind up, then his mind will be made up regardless of what I have to say." She folded her arms across her chest and broadened her shoulders. "That brings me to another point. Just because you see a man and woman together doesn't make them a couple."

"Sorry! I just assumed-I mean talk on the streets causes it to sound that way."

"Well talk is cheap," Jesse replied, "You can't believe everything you hear. Many people would like to think we-that's not even what we're here to talk about, Wesley!" Jesse started to stand, and Trina walked around beside him. "Plus, I think I gave you my answer." Wesley stammered as Jesse and Trina walked for the door.

"You don't know what you're doing! You're making an enemy where you don't need one!"

"We're already enemies," Trina growled out. Wesley froze as she glared over her shoulder at him. "And you're lucky I didn't snap your neck in the last meeting. I still want to. So you better stand down, because if we find anymore Cravens lurking about, you're done."

"You think you can threaten me, woman?"

"And there comes the disrespect." Trina rolled her eyes and started for the door. She stopped when she heard a sudden clicking noise. At that sound, Jesse whipped his gun from his belt holster and twisted around, aiming it at Wesley, who was aiming at Trina.

"You touch that trigger," Jesse sidestepped in front of Trina and delivered a dark, menacing growl. "It will be the last thing you ever do." Wesley hesitated for a second and began to tremble as Jesse's eyes narrowed further. "What's your move?"

Wesley started to shake. Trina studied him closely and scoffed, the man wasn't daring enough to pull the trigger. He was just making baseless threats to try and force Jesse to give him help, but the truth of the matter was, he was just a coward backed into a corner. She set her hand to Jesse's wrist and gently pushed down. He moved his eyes to hers, questioning her. "Relax, he's not daring enough. Beck's scarier than he is at this point, and Beck's a ghost as far as we know."

"I-I could kill you! I could kill you both right now!" Trina rolled her head to the side and stared at him with pity.

"And then what? Our Captains are waiting right outside with their Lieutenants. They'll storm your house, and the next bit of gang activity the LAPD cleans up will be your body off the pavement." She turned away and watched Jesse place his gun back in the holster and turn out himself.

"Wait! I have something more!"

"This ought to be good." She crossed her arms and looked over her shoulder. "What?" Wesley returned his gun and narrowed his eyes.

"My men have been spying on the Scrapperz for a while, we even grabbed one and beat some info out of him. The Scrapperz are getting smart, they've already infiltrated the LAPD!" Trina's eyes widened and Jesse looked back to her. "They're planning to tear them apart, to poison the LAPD from the inside."

"How the hell could they do that? The LAPD requires background checks before they hire and recruit _anyone!"_

"The Scrapperz are using clean gang members. People who are legit. People who have gotten through college, people who haven't done drugs or committed any kind of crime. Who knows how far up they're planning to go. Chief Vega's exceptional at dealing with gangs on external playing fields, but how well can he fend off an internal attack? El Sangre fell by this tactic, we're suffering from this tactic, and now they're trying for the fucking police department! If they can get to Chief Vega, we will have lost the police."

"That won't happen." They couldn't take chances though. She didn't want to lose her father to the Scrapperz. If she lost him, she really would lose everyone. Or close to it. How could she warn him, though? If it were even true. They needed solid proof that Wesley was telling the truth. "You said you captured one?"

"Yes. One of their higher members. A Captain."

"Where is he?" Jesse turned around and Wesley pointed to a door.

"The basement. I'll take you down there."

"I don't want any tricks, Wesley."

"No tricks, I promise you. His name is Tyrell, we've tied him down. He's a bloody mess, and my men are prepared to execute him once he's used up. We're sending a little message to the Scrapperz. Tell them to back off our turf."

"Well, hope that goes well for you. We'll see him." Trina followed Jesse to the door. She looked over her shoulder as Jesse examined the inside of the basement. They waited for Wesley to move first, and once he did, they followed him down in time to see a pale skinned man with long brown dreads and a shaggy goatee. He was tied to a chair and covered in blood. The man looked up and scowled. "Tyrell, is it?"

"That's the name," Tyrell sneered, "They already made me talk. What more can I give?"

"Is it true?" Jesse folded his arms and set his right foot on a nearby wooden box as he leaned forward to glare into Tyrell's eyes. Trina could tell this man was one of them, he had the colors and a tattoo on his arm that indicated he was one of them. "Have the Scrapperz really begun infiltrating the LAPD?"

"Yes. I already told this fucker that. What more do you want from me? The LAPD wages war on gangs, we're going to destroy them! Same way we did with Sangre, and the same way we're going to do with the Cravens!" Tyrell then spat on Wesley. Wesley closed his eyes and slowly wiped the saliva from his face. His next move was to whip out his pistol and fire a shot directly between Tyrell's eyes. Trina's jaw dropped and Jesse flinched.

"What the hell did you do that for! We weren't done with him!"

"The bastard spit on me, Jesse? What did you expect me to do? Take it?"

"At least for a few more minutes, yes. We could have used him as insurance, even, to get him close to the Scrapperz. Make them, namely their leader, come to us! Damn it!"

"Well excuse me, I don't like being disrespected as much as your woman doesn't."

Jesse grabbed Wesley's shoulders and glared into his eyes. "She is not…" He hesitated for a moment and Trina's eyebrows started to rise up. Jesse pulled away and dusted off Wesley's shoulder, "Fuck it. You can't be talked to." He turned away and started to walk past Trina. She gazed at him with concern. She hoped Wesley wasn't getting to him, but he did seem distressed. "Come on Trina, we need to find your father."

"Yeah, let's hurry it up then…maybe we'll find a lead." Hopefully her dad was safe. She was sure he would be, but they had to find him, just to make sure. Beck was not going to win, not today. He could try to take down the LAPD, he could try to fight David off, but he wouldn't. Trina wasn't going to let it end that way. "Beck has to come out of hiding sometime, right?"

"And he will. When he does, we'll be waiting for him." Beck's words rang through her head even today, months after their last confrontation. She was curious to know what he'd try, to try attacking her and Jesse without them realizing it. At best, it just seemed like the typical, petty, childish prank that left people paranoid about a mystical prank that would never occur. At the same time, Beck seemed to big to try something so petty.

* * *

So turning down Wesley who needs help, karma must suck. Oh 33 was a cut off part of this chapter so I'll put it up for you. May as well.


	33. Does Hope Exist?

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 33 (Does Hope Exist?)

She followed him up the stairs, walking with a fast pace and glancing back at the door. "What are we going to tell him? He's not going to just believe us if we tell him the Scrapperz have gotten into the LAPD. Besides, there's nothing we can do about it…is there?"

"At best we have to make sure he'll be okay." She nodded and peered down at the ground. Her heart was pounding as fear started to grip at her. What was going to happen if the Scrapperz got to her dad? He couldn't be beat, could he? No. That was impossible.

"He wouldn't lose. He wouldn't. They'd have to corrupt the entire department before they could get to him. He's not one to trust easily, no one would get close enough to him!"

"I have to wonder if Beck would realize that."

"What do you mean?"

"Beck sounds like the type of guy to go straight for someone's weakness." He looked over his shoulder and stared to frown. "What if he could plant someone that would get close enough? The very least we can do is do some intelligence of our own. We need to start studying everyone that is around him."

"How?"

"I don't know. But we're starting first with that Grace woman he's dating."

"Grace? But-But she's nice." She'd talked with Grace a few times and didn't want to think she could possibly be planted by Beck and the Scrapperz. "It wouldn't make sense for her to be one of them…"

"Wouldn't it?" They made their way outside where Roger, Rachel, and Travis were waiting around their car. "Beck aims for the heart. Remember when he was going to go after Tori to get to you? Your dad and I, we're alike in a couple ways, one of those is as you know…we don't open our hearts up to trust many people. So if Beck can see that in someone, as well as the fact that whoever we open up to, we probably wouldn't think could scheme against us…so wouldn't it make sense for him to go that route?"

"I still don't think there's anything wrong with Grace, but if you think we should investigate her, then so be it. I'll find someone to keep an eye on her. Anything suspicious, we'll know."

"Good. The same goes for everyone at the office he works at."

"Yeah…you know, I think Dad's actually going on a date with her tonight." Jesse entered the car with her and started it up. He grasped the steering wheel firmly and hummed.

"Well…them maybe we ought to grab a bite to eat tonight." She was shocked by his suggestion. Her lips turned up slightly and she cleared her throat.

"What?"

He glanced over at her and tugged the corners of his lips back. "I mean to do some spy work. Watch them, see if there's anything unusual."

"Oh…" She started to frown and shook her head. What the hell was she thinking? It didn't even matter, she wasn't ready to move on from Sinjin. At least, she didn't think she was.

"What did you think I meant?"

"Nothing. I think that's a good idea, we might just want to keep hidden though. Make sure they don't spot us."

"Exactly."

"I did that once." She chuckled as an age old memory came to mind. Jesse turned up a half smile as she breathed in slowly. "A few years back, my sister needed something done at this Asian restaurant so I disguised myself as a famous actress."

"How did that go over?"

"Not well." She laughed and leaned against the door, sighing to herself as she watched the trees slowly pass the window. "I miss her. Tori. I can't believe I'm saying it, but I even miss those crazy stupid friends of hers-and hell-even that pathetic Beck."

"Before he was insane?"

"Yeah. To this day I don't know why he's in that damned gang. They fucked with me so many times, it's not even funny. Even put me in the hospital. But nope, I miss them. Miss Sinjin too…everything about him that I loved." Her heart sped up and her eyelids fell shut as she recalled Sinjin's very touch. "Then, at the same time, I want that. I want to feel what I felt with him, I want that life back-but I can never have it now, I know." A tear fell down her cheek as her voice started to crack. "People say that the heart goes on, that you can love again, and I want to love…I want to be loved…He made me feel like all was right in the world, you know? He made me feel like a woman, like I meant something…like I was important."

"You are important." Trina opened her eyes and smiled at him. Jesse was watching the road in front and sitting with his back in the full upright position. His chest was puffed out and his arms were locked tight with the steering wheel. "Maybe you'll feel that way again. I hope so, I mean, it sucks being alone."

"We're not really alone, are we?"

"Alone?" He glanced at her and started to smile. "Nah, we're not. Maybe it just takes some time. I miss Sasha as well, but I suppose I can't spend every day mourning her. I'd never get things done and she'd yell at me if she knew I was moping about every single day."

Trina laughed and peered out the window. "So would Sinjin." She remembered fondly cuddling up on the couch with him to watch a movie, and holding a bucket of popcorn down beside his feet as he draped his arm around her shoulders. "Once we saw that movie with Patrick Swayze-the ghost one. He said something I thought silly at the time, asked me if I'd ever move on if something happened to him."

"What was the answer?"

"I told him, I didn't know." Jesse nodded and Trina looked down to her feet. She still struggled with that question, wrestled with it every day. "I love him, Jesse. I still love him. Even though I know he's never coming back, I want to be with him. He even told me then…he'd want me to move on, to be with someone else and find love again or something cheesy like that."

"He wanted you to be happy."

"Yeah, I guess. Sasha was the same way?"

"Pretty much."

"You still love her, don't you?"

"I don't think I'll ever stop loving her. I think…It gets easier to love someone else, but harder to let someone else into your life. Sure I'll always remember Sasha with fondness, and I'll never be able to replace her, but maybe one day when things are better…I might will myself to be with someone who makes me happy."

"Maybe Sinjin and Sasha both would want us to move on with our lives? Like Dad is with Grace? When the time is right, sure."

"Yeah. Whenever the time is right." She took a deep breath and lifted her eyes towards the cloudy blue sky. She wondered what Sinjin, and even Sasha, were thinking right now as they looked down on them. Her gaze drifted to Jesse and she let out a small scoffing chuckle under her breath. Jesse's eyes drifted over to her and he tilted his head to the left. "What's up?"

"Nothing, just thinking."

"In my experience, when a woman says 'nothing', it's always something."

"Don't worry about it." He shrugged as he turned the wheel towards he left. "I think Dad and Grace are headed to _Chopp's Steakhouse_."

"That fancy ass place?"

"Not like we don't have the money, right?"

"Yeah, but still…_damn_, we'd better pick up a couple formal outfits too. They're not going to let someone in casual wear go in."

"Yeah-wait…does that mean I have to wear a dress?"

Later that night they arrived at the steakhouse in formal wear, which indeed meant Trina was wearing a long blue ankle-length dress with a V-neck collar. She was wearing a pearl necklace, and had her hair down over her shoulders. A pair of blue gloves rested on her hands, with the ends pulling all the way up to her elbows. The biggest part of the outfit she hated were the crystal heels she had to wear.

She was seething as Jesse admired her, curling a finger over the wide smirk she wanted to smack off him. "What? You look beautiful!" He laughed deeply and Trina's cheeks reddened for a split second. She reached down to the purse hanging from her shoulder and cleared her throat.

"Do not _make _me hit you with my purse. I'd kick, but seeing as how I'm in a damn dress, I can't do that."

"Might be a good thing for me, then. I'd rather not be kicked in a million times."

"Very funny." She straightened her dress and muttered. "I'm not sure what's worse…the fact that I have to wear these god awful high heels, or the fact that I look like a stuffy rich woman." The host led them to their table, which was conveniently near her father, but out of his visibility. "You know what the people in our gang are going to think when they realize we're out here?"

"Let them think what they want, I don't care at this point." He opened up a menu and Trina followed suit. She had to agree with him. Their friends all wanted them to hook up and wouldn't shut up until it happened, so they may as well just stop complaining. Trina looked over at her shoulder with worry, studying her father closely.

David was studying the menu while Grace had her head to his shoulder. They were laughing at something, and completely distracted with one another. The worry on her face only grew as her heart began to strain itself. What if something happened? What if David fell? It wasn't likely, she knew it wasn't, but she was scared regardless.

"Trina? Something wrong?"

"Yeah…What's going to happen to if something happens to Dad?" She looked back, meeting Jesse's strong, concerned eyes. "He's paying for Tori's school and everything. "I mean yeah most of what Tori's getting from grants and scholarships are paying for it, and so is Mom's insurance…but still-"

"I don't think your sister has anything to worry about. Besides, if she had to worry about money, I'm sure we could help out. We have plenty of money for your sister, but_ if_ something happened to Mr. Vega-I think your sister would be able to not only get money from his insurance, but she'd also get a scholarship for fallen police officers. I forget the name of it, but it would help her out greatly. Not to mention, if she had to, she could take out a loan."

"Yeah. Tori would be just fine." She dipped her eyes to the table and curled her fingers inwards slightly. She felt a sudden spark in her hand and let her eyes fly over to see Jesse's hand resting over hers. Her heart stopped as she looked up to see him looking sincerely into her eyes.

"You'd be fine too. You're strong, you would make it." She started to smile and Jesse pulled his hand away almost as quickly as he'd touched hers. "Don't be scared of something that hasn't happened. Besides." He glanced to David and Grace. "I don't see anything out of the ordinary over there. Just a couple having a good time on a date. So maybe you're right, there's nothing to fear."

"You think so?" She held her breath and looked back, studying her father and Grace carefully.

"Yeah. I'll have Roger look into her more if we need to. In the meantime…" The waiter started to come over, eager to take their order. Trina sat up and flashed a nervous smile. "Let's just enjoy our meal. I'm in the mood for a nice Prime Rib."

"I think I'm just going to have a simple sirloin. Nothing too fancy or expensive." She touched her finger to her hand and smiled at Jesse, who was now focusing on the waiter. It had been some time for either of them since they'd been out to a nice restaurant, so maybe it was a good time to just enjoy themselves. Though, she knew it must be a nightmare for him to be out, this night had to be causing some massive flashbacks where Sasha was considered.

At least they were both on the lookout. Any gang members that tried anything would be quickly dispatched. She had a pistol in her purse and he had a handgun in his suit. There was no way in hell they were going around unarmed in the middle of a gang war.

And of course, there was no way in hell she was letting either the Scrapperz or the Cravens ruin her night. For once in several months, she didn't feel like curling up to cry herself to sleep thinking with only a bleak outlook. She was finally able to relax. Maybe, just maybe, there was a possibility of moving on with her life. Maybe the excessive beating of her heart was hope trying to tell her not to give up.

* * *

Well what are your thoughts thus far?


	34. Gathering Information

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 34 (Gathering Information)

"We got one of the Scrapperz!" Roger exclaimed over the phone. Trina and Jesse were pleased with this. They moved from the couch, asking what rank and who the Scrapperz member was. "A man named Ramirez, another one of the Captains. We've got him locked for interrogation. What do you want us to do with him?"

"Keep him alive, it's good insurance," Jesse replied. Time was passing them all by, and Wesley's warning rang true. The LAPD was beginning to experience turmoil from within, however no one noticed anything on Grace yet. They were still following her around, and it was the middle of February. Though, David's war on the gangs was working, much of the smaller gangs had dwindled down, and the stronger ones were getting weaker.

The Black Knights, however, were still remaining strong and vigilant. This was due to their 'neutral' strategy. They hadn't pissed off the LAPD, nor had they made any grave attempts at attacking other gangs, except for the Cravens and Scrapperz. But even with those two, they were still waiting it out. Both gangs were getting weaker, even massive attacks to their leaders could potentially wipe them out. The trick was making sure the upper ranks were gone, so the lower ranks couldn't promote from within.

"Think we can figure out where Beck's hiding?" Trina got back into the passenger side of the car and looked to Jesse as he started it up. "Ramirez ought to know, right?"

"It's a possibility, but there's also a chance only the underbosses would know. If you're a leader, and half your lower ranks are being taken in by other gangs and the police department, are you just going to tell them where you're hiding?"

"So he's probably only telling his closest rank."

"Yeah." Still, she was getting exhausted with Beck, and wanted to smoke him out somehow. It was like America trying to find Bin Laden, for crying out loud! The asshole knew where to hide and how to hide, unless he was just hiding in plain sight. "Still, it's worth asking the Scrapper. If he knows something, he will talk."

At the hideout, they found Roger with his Lieutenants standing around a skinny Hispanic man with a soul patch on his chin and a bald head. He was wearing gold earrings and had tattoos running from his neck down his body. The man was in a wooden chair, his ankles tied to the legs, and his wrists bound behind him. "You will have to kill me," Ramirez spat, "Because I ain't tellin' you fools anything!"

"That's all well and good, cue ball," Jesse crossed his arms and tilted his head. "You see, we could do this the nice way or we can do it the hard way. I don't want to do this the hard way, my men don't want to do this the hard way-" Jesse paused and looked to Roger for a second. "Roger's questionable, he might enjoy the hard way. I'd rather not do this the hard way, and I don't want my underboss to have to see it done the hard way."

"I've 'seen' it a million times," Trina rolled her eyes and looked towards the side. "Seriously, you can quit trying to protect me from the gang life by now." He sighed heavily and shrugged his shoulders.

"The hard way it is, then." Jesse pulled out his gun and fired a shot right beside Ramirez's foot, purposely missing. The man screamed out in fear and Trina leaned back, surprised by the shot. "Okay Ramirez, you're going to answer my questions now." Ramirez's right leg trembled as his chest heaved and he started angrily at Jesse. "I don't want to have to hit you, shoot you, do anything to you. I simply want information. Where is Beck. Your leader."

"I don't know."

"You don't know, or you're lying to me?" Ramirez leaned back and let his eyes drift up to Trina, undressing her mentally. She narrowed her glare, resisting the urge to clock him. Jesse pulled the hammer back on his gun. "Ramirez. I'm over here. Look at me or I will shoot off your fucking kneecap."

"Maybe I'll tell you what I know if you give me a little something-something. I haven't had a good lay in-" A gunshot rang out and blood gushed from Ramirez's knee. He let out a violent howl and began yanking his arms as if trying to grab his wound. Jesse lowered his gun and turned around.

"Trina. Feel free to smack him around if you want."

"Gladly." She leaned back and sent her foot crashing into his chest. Ramirez exhaled sharply and started to scream, but was cut off by a right hook to the jaw. She then grabbed his shirt collar and leaned into him, glaring into his eyes. "Think twice before disrespecting a woman, Ramirez. Especially if it's me, and you're tied up."

"Fuck you, Bitch!"

She backhanded Ramirez and leaned back. Her fury was only growing, the more she stared at this man. "I swear to god all men are the same!"

"All men?" Jesse asked with a mild tone of disapproval. She chuckled softly and delivered yet another kick into Ramirez.

"Okay maybe not every man, but still, when are these gang members going to start respecting me? How hard is it, huh?" She put her hand to her hips and tapped her foot on the ground as irritation stabbed at her. "Everyone in El Sangre respected me, everyone in the Knights respects me, but the Cravens and the Scrapperz? Oh no, respect for women is the _last_ thing on _their_ minds! Pisses me off!" She sent another fist into Ramirez, this time knocking his left temple. The man's body was trembling now, and he was beginning to whimper.

"No more, no more! Please! I'll tell you what you want to know!" Jesse's eyebrows shot up and Roger whistled once. Trina crossed her arms and tensed her muscles as her face hardened.

"That's better. What do you know of Beck?"

"Honest, I don't know! I do not know his location." She studied him for the moment, frowning as she watched the fear shiver out his body. He was telling the truth. She turned away, frustrated. What did he know? "Manuel, one of the two underbosses, he's closest to the boss. He might know where to find Beck." She looked over her shoulder and Ramirez's whimpering increased. "Why are you so vicious, lady?"

"You don't want to know," Jesse muttered. Roger raised an eyebrow as his female lieutenants, Yvonne and Raven, shook their heads. Trina rolled her eyes and turned fully towards him, speaking with a sneer.

"It's that special week in a month that causes me to turn into a monster, so shut the fuck up. I've had it up to here with the Scrapperz, the Cravens, and every other gang in this city. I've had it with Beck, and you will tell me everything you know about the Scrapperz…or I am going to go to town on your ass." Her eyes darkened further as her voice grew menacing, "And I'm not referring to anything of the sexual nature."

"I wasn't assuming! Jesus!" At this point, Jesse walked over to Roger, who was asking if he wanted to get involved. Jesse shook his head and holstered his gun.

"So Ramirez. What are your orders? What were you doing in the Knights territory where Roger picked you up at?"

"Nothing."

"Ramirez?" She tilted her head and raised her eyebrows up. "Would you mind repeating that? I don't believe I heard you."

"Okay, okay, I was trying to do some spy work, that's all. I got caught outside Cedars Bar. Someone must have spotted me and tipped me off to Roger. I swear that's it. Don't hit me again, please?" He did have blood pouring down his head and out his mouth, so hitting him would only make him uglier.

"Hitting you again wouldn't serve much purpose unless you decide to stop talking. Now. I know one of the other Captains was killed a couple weeks ago, has he been replaced yet?"

"No. Not yet. Still going over our options."

"Okay. Does this Manuel have a base?"

"He doesn't tell us. Like Beck, we only see him when the large meetings are held, and we don't know when those will be. Our other underboss, Alfonso, he wouldn't know where Beck or Manuel are, but I do know where he lives. I can-I can tell you that."

"Where?"

"83 Birch Creek." She looked over at Roger, and he immediately began writing the address down on a notepad. She could think of a way to let her dad know where the man lived without letting on that she was involved in any kind of gang. She could say she saw the man and recognized him from one of her father's files. He did talk to her about the higher ups of the Scrapperz gang, that's how she knew who they were.

"How many officers in the LAPD have you corrupted? How many are your members? Two different questions, two different types of people. Answer _both_ to the best of your ability." Ramirez stammered and clenched his eyes.

"I don't know. I think-I think about half of LAPD are fresh recruits of the Scrapperz by now. We've got almost every low ranked officer on our payroll. Smaller gangs are following suit." Trina covered her mouth and looked over at Jesse. His expression tensed and his hands clenched.

"What's the purpose of that?" Jesse inquired, "Do you know?"

"I don't know, they don't tell us everything. I think they just want to keep the heat off them. They're trying to buy their way out of this war." Ramirez looked up and started to frown. "That's all I know."

"Are you _sure_?"

"Well-there may be one more thing. Scrapperz inside the Cravens said one of their Lieutenants plans to start a turf war at one of your Captain's bases." Trina leaned back and Jesse looked over to Roger. "Not him. I don't remember which one. I think they said the female captain."

Trina's heart stopped and the air shot out from her lungs. "That's Rachel!" She lurched forward and put her hands to Ramirez's shoulders, causing him to scream out as she tightened her grip. "When? When is this attack?"

"I think it was supposed to be later today, at her home base while her lieutenants are there. They're going to wipe out her entire wing."

"Shit!" Trina took a step back, trying to process the news. They still had time to get over there. Jesse folded his hands over his belt and looked calmly at her, expecting her to make the decision. She snapped her fingers and pointed to Roger, who was immediately attentive. "Roger, my dad doesn't know Jesse and I are in the Knights, however he _does_ know who the Captains are. So he'll recognize you, but he won't do anything since you haven't done anything problematic." Roger raised an eyebrow and slowly nodded. "Take this punk ass bastard to my father, right now he's the only one in the LAPD I trust." Ramirez's eyes widened and he immediately tried to protest.

"I helped you! I gave you what you wanted to know!"

She ignored him. "Also, drop the address for Alfonso, have him arrest the Scrapperz second underboss. When you're done, join us at Rachel's home base." The Cravens were massive in their own fighter sects underneath each lieutenant, so they needed all the help they could get. "I'm going to contact Travis and have him bring his Lieutenants and their warriors in as well."

With that, she and Jesse left with Roger's Lieutenants. Jesse walked beside her, looking at her with great concern. "You know I can lead them to help Rachel. You don't have to fight. I mean, I know you're capable, I just…"

"What? Why wouldn't you want me in there?"

He looked off to the side and lifted his shoulders, "You'll keep Rachel safe, I imagine."

"Of course." She was determined not to lose someone else. Even if it meant fighting, which she didn't really want to do. She understood why Jesse didn't want her out in the field, despite knowing that she was more than capable of handling herself. She hadn't taken a life since her mother, so she wasn't exactly looking forward to this. "Anyone that dies tonight on the Cravens side counts as self defense, right?"

"Yes…If you're set on keeping Rachel safe, then let's do this. Of course, if you can get her out of there and somewhere else, it would be better than letting her fight."

"Right. The Cravens won't have anyone to take down if she's not there. However, if the Lieutenant in question is the one that ordered this-"

"Then he'll have to be taken out, otherwise he might try and attack again. I want you to focus on getting Rachel out of there and somewhere safe. I don't want to lose any captains…"

* * *

Thoughts my friends?


	35. Battle for Protection

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 35 (Battle for Protection)

Trina pushed through Rachel's front doors to find the girl sitting at her dining room table with her three lieutenants. Drake, Jacob, and Lucy. Jesse followed after her, and Rachel immediately stood up. "Trina? Jesse? What's going on? You sent my Lieutenants a message to gather up their warriors. Why?"

"The Cravens are planning an attack. We caught one of the Scrapperz Captains and they told us a lieutenant in the Cravens, he believes it might be Tim, is planning to attack you in your home base." Rachel's eyes widened and her Lieutenants immediately jumped up, ready to take arms. "I'm going to get you out of here while Jesse leads the other captains."

"Others?"

"Yeah Travis is outside with his Lieutenants already." She motioned to the window. Travis was walking the perimeter of Rachel's house with Ray and Jared, his third Lieutenant, Mandy, was scanning the back. Roger's Lieutenants stepped into the house, all were ordering their warriors to get ready to head over. "Roger's on his way, dropping off the Scrapperz member with my father. He'll be here shortly."

The plan of attack was simple. She was to get Rachel out while Jesse remained in the house with Travis and Roger. The Lieutenants would all position themselves inside the wooden fenced yard, crouching out of sight so when Tim showed up with his many warriors, they would signal by rising up and opening fire. After that, all the warriors would be circled around the neighborhood, sealing off exits, so they were able to take out Tim's fighters.

Jesse ordered his people to let the citizens in the neighborhood know to leave for the day. He wanted no innocents caught up in the crossfire. It wouldn't be easy, but they had to understand that this fight was a self defense fight to protect one of their own. It wasn't needless violence.

"We're going to go out the back when the time comes, Rachel." The girl nodded carefully and hurried into her kitchen. She returned with a rifle in her hands. "God willing, you won't have to use that…"

Rachel shrugged and tipped her lips into a smirk, "A lady always packs protection, Trina. Just in case."

Roger returned nearly an hour later to inform Jesse and Trina of the situation, "Okay all the Lieutenants have their warriors set up. The neighborhood's clear, the Lieutenants are hidden in the yard. So all we have to do is wait." Jesse nodded and turned to Trina, looking from her to Rachel, then back to her.

"Once you get out of here, just keep going," Jesse informed. "Rachel's top priority…" Was she really? Trina was suspicious of his suggestion, but not that it was bad or anything, but rather she was curious as to which one of them he was actually trying to protect. "Once you've made it to a safe location, give me a call and let me know she's all right. I'll call off the assault at that point and we'll retreat. Hopefully after we've confirmed Tim is down."

"Okay, sounds good to me." Trina looked over to Roger, who was busy checking his phone. "Roger!" He looked up and pushed his phone into his pocket. "Keep watch over Jesse, all right?" He raised an eyebrow and Jesse rolled his eyes, smiling slightly. "I don't want you, Travis, or any of your lieutenants down. They're all…'top priority' right now." She gave Jesse a smug look and moved past him, brushing her shoulder into his. He lowered his arms and sighed while Roger visibly stifled a laugh.

"Don't worry Trina, I won't let anything happen to anyone," Roger replied. His phone went off so he quickly checked it once more. His body moved into fight-ready posture and he quickly looked up. "Tim's been spotted in the vicinity. He's got about sixty people with him."

"For one attack? What the hell's he bringing an army for? Well, we've got an army to match his, so it's pretty evened out." What possessed this man to bring an army for Rachel and her Lieutenants, she didn't know. Then again, Rachel's wing was known by the Cravens to be a pretty powerful wing, the second strongest wing next to Roger's. To Tim's credit, bringing sixty fighters with him was a _smart_ move. Rachel's wing fended off an attack once before already, but it was thirty Scrapperz to Rachel and her three lieutenants. "All right, then it's time to move." She and Rachel started for the back door, stopping to look back. Trina's expression softened on Jesse. When he glanced over at her, she diverted her gaze to Roger. "Don't you die. Stay alive, all of you."

"Aye, aye, boss." She took a deep breath and signaled for Rachel to follow her.

Once out the back, they crouched low to keep beneath the low fence. At the very back edge of the yard, two Lieutenants guarded them as Trina looked over the edge. To her right, it was clear. To her left, the road was clear. She grabbed the top and climbed over, then helped Rachel over.

As they ran up ahead, they saw three of their warriors waiting for them. The warriors pointed to the left, signaling that as the best route out of the neighborhood. "Okay, stay low," Trina whispered. Rachel nodded and crouched down with her as they moved behind a nearby tree.

This was real, this fight, and it weighed heavily on her heart. When they heard gunfire, she jerked upright and looked back towards the house. Her body tensed as Sinjin's body flashed before her eyes. She then saw a visual of Jesse, laying over the bodies of Roger, Travis, and the lieutenants. Her heart constricted and she felt a pull to go back and fight.

"Trina?" She leaned to the right, and looked over to see Rachel nudging her. "Come on, we need to keep moving."

"Right."

"Everything okay?"

"Yes, let's keep going. Jesse and Roger can handle things from here." Trina began scanning the surrounding area, to try and locate a passageway out. There was a small area between two houses they could cut through. Gunfire pierced the skies, causing her to tense up once more.

"Hey Trina?" Her muscles loosened as she glanced back at the girl. "I don't want anything to happen to them either. Especially Roger." She met the girl's eyes and breathed out slowly. There was a genuine look of worry and fear coming from her, but at the mention of Roger, it intensified.

"You and him, huh? When did that happen?"

"A few months…"

"Right." Trina smiled gently and pat the girl's arm. "Roger will be fine. He didn't make Captain rank for nothing. Plus, Jesse's there, he's perfectly calm too."

"What does that matter if he's calm or not?"

"It's a matter of ability." The only way an enemy would be able to kill Jesse was one of two ways: Target someone he truly cares about, which wasn't an option at this point since his family was pretty much gone, and Sasha wasn't around anymore. Or get him so pissed off and angry that he was unable to focus properly. "The calmer and more patient he is, the more focused and driven. Right? If he's not calm, say he's completely pissed off and losing all control, then he's unable to focus, and he makes for an easy target."

"Yeah, that does kind of match the stories I've heard."

"Yep. So he knows what he's doing."

"Roger and Jesse, they wanted us out of this fight, didn't they. That's why they're sending us off?"

"Yeah, it's kind of frustrating actually, but Jesse doesn't want me having to do anything unnecessary I guess. I can handle myself just fine, I don't need anyone looking after me." She led Rachel through the alley and out of the neighborhood.

From there, it was a clear shot to a local thrift store, where they could hide out in the clothing section. Once there, she waited a couple minutes before calling Jesse. To her surprise, it was Roger that answered. Her heart stopped as she listened to the gunfire in the background. "Roger, where's Jesse at?"

"He's fine. What's your position?"

"We're at a thrift shop. It's clear." She heard someone moaning in the background, having just been hit by a stray bullet. Her muscles tightened as an empty feeling started to rise up and choke her. "Hey, do you guys need help? I can get back down there if you need help."

"No, the situation's handled. Tim's down, but some of his fighters are still fighting. Our men have them surrounded, none of our Lieutenants have been struck. A couple warriors are injured, though."

"And Jesse?" Her heart was racing a mile a minute. She wasn't exactly sure why, and wasn't spending a lot of time trying to figure it out. All she wanted to know was whether or not he was safe.

"He'll be fine." _'Be'?_ He should be just fine, not 'he'll be okay', as if he was already wounded! She started to clear her throat and glanced over to Rachel for a second. "We've got most of Tim's people, I think we can start retreating."

She heard sirens in the distance and her heart's pounding increased to the point she could feel each slam in her chest. Her throat started to burn as the phone call ended. "Trina? How are they?"

"Roger is fine…" She had to wait for Jesse to call her, to let her know if he was okay. He could be dead for all she knew, then what would she do? He was her only friend at this point! "Jesse should have answered that phone, though. Roger answered, which means there's something wrong. Something has to be wrong. I should go back."

"No Trina, they wanted us out of the way for a reason. If you go back in guns blazing, you could get in trouble."

"I can _handle_ myself." She flared her nostrils and glared at the windows behind the front counter. While she did want to go back, she would at least respect Jesse's and Roger's wishes for them to remain safe. Her job was to stay with Rachel at all costs, making sure nothing happened to her. "Tempting as it is to go, I'll stay here. They have things handled just fine."

A couple hours later and she was pacing the floor of the mansion, having called Jesse's phone several times without any answer. He wasn't home yet, but all the other fighters, Rachel included, were. "Come on, pick up the damn phone Jesse!" She was ready to throw the phone at a the wall, to scream and curse, but she was trying her best not to. "Pick up, call me, do something! Let me know you're fucking alive already!"

No one knew what happened to Jesse back there, and Roger had been transported to the clinic, so she couldn't get in touch with him.

The longer she waited, the more fearful she became. She'd be lost without him, just like she'd be lost without Sinjin or her sister. Trina fought back her tears as she studied the phone. She was ready to bash it open with a hammer in all her rage. "He's not dead, he can't be dead, he wouldn't be dead…they would know if he was dead! So why isn't he answering me!"

For emotion, this was the worst she'd felt since Sinjin's death. This was the most scared and out of her mind she'd been. She was fighting off a million paranoid thoughts, and questioning everything, even going so far to fear Beck may have found Jesse and nabbed him from the street somehow.

"What if that did happen? What if he's somewhere, being tortured. He'd never give out all the secrets to the enemy. Never!"

When she heard the sound of an engine pulling into the drive, she was filled with both relief and anger. She ran out the door in time to see Jesse getting out of the passenger side of a black Toyota Tundra. His arm was in a sling, and he was walking with a bit of a limp.

"Jesse! You're alive!" She ran to him and hugged his neck. Her body was trembling as she let all her emotions spill off her. "Why weren't you calling me? What the hell was going on? Roger's in the hospital, no one knew what happened to you! I thought you were-"

"I'm fine." He breathed out and Trina took a slight step back. He was frowning and had a very serious expression on his face. "I'd say we got lucky, because we have a bit of a problem right now."

"Why? What-" She heard the slamming of a car door, followed by the clicking of a lock. She turned her head to the truck and immediately began to feel faint. The man who brought Jesse home was none other than Mr. Vega himself, and he did _not_ look happy. "Dad…"

* * *

So it was quite the fight, and since this was split into two chapters here you go. Let me know what you thought of the fight.


	36. Father's Orders

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 36 (Father's Orders)

Inside the mansion, David paced furiously in front of the couch while tapping his chin. Trina and Jesse sat together, holding their breath as the man muttered angrily. "My daughter. Part of the Black Knights." He looked at her, then looked away, shaking his head. "How long?" She bowed her head as her father turned to her and started to raise his voice. "How long, Trina!"

She clenched her eyes, wincing as his voice echoed through the walls of the mansion. "August. Since August…" David frowned at her and lowered his arms. His shoulders fell and he let out a small sigh. "It was after Sinjin-after he was murdered, and after Ross beat me up. Tori's friends didn't help much, I didn't have anywhere to go."

"Didn't have anywhere-You could have come to me, Trina! You think I would have done nothing?" She leaned forward, shouting back at him.

"It wasn't like I thought you would!" He locked his jaw and folded his arms. Yelling wasn't going to help much, especially since he seemed on the verge of a perpetual meltdown. ''You were never around, mom was busy fucking some guy like a tramp. Who could I go to and feel okay? I had nobody!"

"I would have been there for you if you only came to me. You know that, Trina."

"Maybe I know that _now_, but back then I sure as hell didn't!" Her eyes stung as her body burned. "I know I did some things I shouldn't have, I screwed up." She looked to Jesse as David's glare slowly turned to him. "Don't blame him though, okay? It's not his fault. He's the one that from day one to today has been telling me I shouldn't be a part of this life." David wiped his forehead with a folded napkin, then pointed his hand to Jesse, tucking the napkin between his thumb and palm.

"He's right! You shouldn't be a part of this. What did you think I was going to do when I found out, Trina? He's a damn gang leader! He's only lucky I haven't torn him to shreds because he's been honest with me, and happens to be involved with my daughter, apparently."

"Don't say it like there's a relationship, there isn't. We're strictly friends, Dad…" Jesse was being smart by not saying anything at all, and Trina appreciated him for it. She could tell David did too, especially since this wasn't a conversation for his involvement, this was a conversation between a father and his daughter. No one else had any right to interject. "I haven't even been with anyone since Sinjin. I don't think I could be."

David lifted an eyebrow and raised a hand, "Regardless. I don't approve of you being involved in this. I can't approve of it. I don't care if he's your friend or not, what I care about is, how much danger are you being put into?"

"It's not like Jesse lets me get involved in the missions all the time. Half the time he tries to keep me out of it so I don't end up getting hurt."

"I can respect that. Thank you, Jesse." David gave the man a sharp nod, then returned to Trina. His features stiffened more and his brow furrowed over. "The only reason I haven't arrested him, _or you_, for that matter-is because the Black Knights haven't done anything. They've not attacked the city, they've not attacked the police, but now I know to keep my eye on them."

"Probably wouldn't be good for the city to know your daughter's part of a gang either, huh?"

"I don't give a shit what they think about my family. My family is _my_ business." Trina nodded and closed her eyes, breathing out slowly. "That captain brought one of the Scrapperz over, informed me of where one of their higher leaders live…then I get a call, the Knights have guided citizens out of a neighborhood because the Cravens were organizing a hit on one of their people." He pointed to Jesse and narrowed his eyes at Trina. "I caught him limping back to the house, where apparently one of the captains were, and I put two and two together." Trina's heart stopped and she glanced over to Jesse, who had his head bowed. "He explained everything to me, so naturally, I can't really charge the Knights for protecting one of their own, especially when they cleared out all the innocents beforehand."

"Dad, I-"

"He told me you weren't involved in that mess, that I'd find you here." She dipped her eyes down and folded her hands into her lap. "I don't care to know what you've done or didn't do up to this point, okay? I do not want to hear it, do not want to deal with it." She lifted her head up as pangs of guilt and fear stabbed her. This was the same thing Tori had told her before, that the past wasn't any of her concern. "If he's been trying to get you out of this life, tell me why you're still a damn part of it. Why is my daughter running with the Knights? Better them than the Scrapperz or the Cravens, I suppose, but it doesn't make things that much better."

"Because I _can't_ leave!"

"Why the hell not?"

"Because people will die." He raised an eyebrow as she began to tremble. She didn't expect there was any protection anymore, not outside of the Knights. Jesse looked over to her with a subtle frown. "Recently one of our own moved away. You remember that attack on the airport?"

"Of course."

"Well our friend was trying to get out of this life, and of course the other gangs recognize her, so they tried to kill her. That resulted in the warfare at the airport." David began to loosen his muscles as Trina met his eyes with great concern and worry. "Jesse himself tried to leave this life when his fiancé was alive. The minute they did, there was a drive by. Someone was trying to shoot him, but they hit Sasha instead…If I try to leave this life, the other gangs will take notice and they'll kill me. Or they'll kill Jesse to try and get me, or take me to try and get to him." Jesse leaned his head back, raising both his eyebrows with sudden surprise. David curled a finger at his chin and blew his nostrils out slightly. "Then there's Beck…"

"What about Beck? Tell me. I know he's a part of the Scrapperz, but I've yet to locate him."

"We don't know where he is. Maybe one person does. He's the head of the Scrapperz, dad. He's the reason El Sangre's gone. He's been planting his own members within Sangre, until they were destroyed. He's doing the same thing with the Cravens, he's even…he's even put his people in the police department." David's eyes widened and his lips parted slightly.

"No…"

"Beck's the main reason Tori's at Baylor with Jade, Cat, and Sam. You know that, but because of the possessive boyfriend part. He could go after them, Dad. He could go after you. He knows who my family is, obviously. He hates me, Dad. I don't know _why_ he hates me, but he does, and he'd be willing to do anything to kill me, get rid of the Knights, and just…he'd ruin this city if he had the chance to."

"Is it him that's keeping you in this life, then?"

"Sort of. I mean, other gangs would probably like to wipe us out. I don't want anyone in my family to get hurt. I don't want…" She glanced to Jesse, who was now leaning back and had his eyes closed as he listened to them. David followed her gaze and exhaled slowly. She didn't want to lose Jesse either, and as long as she was here, she knew he was okay. "I was going crazy not knowing if he was okay…"

Jesse turned his head, still keeping his eyes closed as he separated his lips, "He had my phone locked up." Her fingers slid over to Jesse's wrist and she set them gently on his arm. His eyes opened for a brief second, then he closed his eyes and turned his head away.

David huffed and began to pace again, "I don't know what I'm going to do." She looked back to her father, growing nervous once more with his never ending pacing. "My daughter's a member of a gang. Granted one that isn't technically active at the moment. My primary concerns are the Scrapperz and the Cravens, but still…" He stopped and turned towards them, narrowing his eyes for a minute. "You know what? You can cleanse the situation a bit."

Jesse opened his eyes back up and sat up. Trina felt a sudden spike in her nervousness and slowly nodded. "What would you have me do, Dad?"

"Help me with the Scrapperz. You don't want me taking out the Knights in the process of all this, much less finding something to use so I can throw Jesse's ass in prison, then help me put out all these other gangs. Once we've cleaned up the streets and wiped them out, I want you to get the hell out of this life and come home. Do you understand me?"

"I think so…"

David ran his hand through his hair and growled under his breath. "God what am I getting myself into?" He was essentially requesting the help of one gang to tear down all the other gangs. It was a complexity in his mind, a difficult decision. "I do not want to be one of those corrupt officers, I will not be, and I will not allow corruption in my ranks."

"We've been trying to find out who in the LAPD are on the Scrapperz payroll," Jesse replied. David looked over to him and slowly nodded, then circled his hand in the air. Jesse saw the gesture and cleared his throat. "We don't know anything yet. Alfonso, one of the underbosses, might have a list. If not, the other underboss is Manuel, he may know who is who in the police department."

"Then here's what I want your Knights doing, Jesse. I want them finding out that information. I want them helping to get rid of both the Scrapperz and the Cravens. I'm focusing my men on all these smaller gangs, and many are being diminished now…" David narrowed his eyes and walked over to Jesse, leaning over him and gripping his knees. He tightened his grasp on Jesse's wounded knee, causing the man to shudder in pain. Trina's heart jumped and she immediately swat at her father's hand, to no avail. "And one more thing, just so we're clear, Jesse."

"Y-Yes sir…"

"If _anything_ happens to my daughter, _you_ will pay the price. I will bring the wrath of this police force down on you, and I will tear you apart." Trina leaned back, swallowing hard and holding her breath as Jesse nodded. "We're clear? Good. You are to keep my daughter safe, protect her at all costs, because I know neither you or I would like to see anything happen to her."

"No sir, I won't let anything happen."

"Then we are golden. Because right now, the fate of your little gang lies on whether my daughter is alive and unhurt. I may be the only non corrupt officer in the entire LAPD, but believe me-if something happens-I can turn on a dime and gun my way through every one of your ranks until there's nothing left but a bloody pile of bodies."

David let go of Jesse, causing him to take a deep breath and grab for his leg. Trina reached over, massaging the area as David towered over them. He looked over to Trina, then turned away, storming out of the house. They waited for the car to start up, then heard the tires burn on the ground. "I'm sorry, Jesse…" Jesse took a deep breath and slowly shook his head.

"Don't worry about it, but I will say one thing."

"What's that."

"Your dad is officially _much_ scarier than Sasha's father ever was." Trina swept her hair back and looked towards the window. She glanced back at Jesse's leg, then the sling his arm was in. He followed her gaze and pointed to the arm. "See this?"

"Yeah?"

"The Cravens gang only shot me in the leg. They never broke my arm." Trina's eyes widened and she quickly looked to the window, piecing together what must have occurred.

"I guess that means we're working with the LAPD then…"

"Yep."

"Great." She sighed heavily and bowed her head. "I always wanted to work for the police, just never pictured it would be like this." It was a good way to try and get out of this life though, as Jesse and her father wanted apparently. To take out the other rival gangs and ensure her safe escape into a normal life. Maybe this was for the best. "Guess we're not remaining neutral between the Scrapperz and Cravens anymore, either."

"Nope…I'm afraid not. Though, you heard your father, I'm keeping you out of the front lines." She groaned as Jesse started to smirk. "You can take your hand off my leg now, it's fine." Her eyes widened and she quickly removed her hand.

"I _was_ worried about you, you know." He started to stand, wincing as pressure was applied to his hurt leg. She stood with him and glanced down to the leg. "Did they at least take the bullet out?"

"Yeah, it's just a little pain. It will subside. Sorry to worry you. It was better that you weren't there, Tim's fighters were pretty sharp, but then, I think they were mixed with some Scrapperz, so…yeah."

"And Tim?"

"He's definitely gone. Rachel won't be struck by the Cravens again, though I'm hoping she'll stay out of her home base for a while."

"Tell me how we didn't just get arrested…" Jesse raised an eyebrow and pointed to her, then circled his finger in the air.

"You're his daughter, and we did nothing wrong. Basically we just got lucky, but any wrong moves and we're toast…It may be good to call a meeting and let the gang know the situation…"

* * *

In other words they got lucky though David will probably be keeping them under constant watch.


	37. Talk Between Sisters

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N: All right, this is an important message. The latter half of this chapter deals with two characters _discussing_ a serious and mature topic. If you cannot handle it, skip ahead to the end of the chapter as the discussion is not a major thing. I may post the next chapter for those of you who wish to avoid the topic of discussion.

A/N: Ooh I forgot about having written that above promise...

* * *

Chapter 37 (Talk Between Sisters)

Nearly a month later they still didn't have a list of corrupted officers in the LAPD, however, David had been slowly weeding them out. Jesse's arm and leg were doing much better, occasionally he still had a sharp pain in his leg that Trina would massage away. Her father kept close tabs on them, and didn't let the police department know they were working with the Knights, since he wasn't sure exactly who to trust. The difficult position he was in was a matter of power. It didn't make a difference if the head of a group such as the police wasn't being paid off, a leader's orders wouldn't mean much if their men refused to act. In this case, that's where he was becoming fearful. His own officers were starting to turn their heads.

It was becoming like Chief Warren all over again, and David's stress was showing. Trina was able to watch as her father slowly began to lose it, frustrated and irritable. She had Jesse working fast to try and find any information, but the Scrapperz had been keeping their own business under wraps. They'd not been able to intercept any further Captains or Lieutenants for them.

Even now, Jesse's best Captain, Roger, was busy trying to take out a branch of the Cravens. So long as the Cravens were weakening and cracking under pressure, and being unable to promote due to the Scrapperz infecting their ranks, they were made to be an easy target.

"Doesn't get any easier," Jesse muttered. He had his bad leg propped up on the coffee table while Trina was sitting on the table, hunched over it and massaging it. "We'll be sitting here all night trying to wait for Roger to get back." He winced as she squeezed on his bottom leg muscle.

"Well everyone's doing what they can." The knights weren't too happy when Jesse called the meeting and informed them they were now under the jurisdiction and control of the Police Chief, but they were coping. Despite the fact that helping David wipe out all these gangs wasn't a promise that they'd be safe. It was just a promise that Jesse and Trina had an opportunity to make it out alive. "I didn't think they cared about us as much as they do, enough to go along with this." Jesse chuckled softly as Trina lifted her eyes up to his.

"I don't give them a reason to turn traitorous. That's the difference between me, and the other leaders in this town."

"That, and the fact that you actually treat women with respect." He chuckled again and watched her hands slide along his leg.

"There are still a few that do. Don't let Wesley get under your skin. The Cravens aren't long for this world anyway. He'll be forced to disband." Then they became the strongest, most powerful gang in LA. Or, at least, once the Scrapperz were gone they would. "Hey. You haven't heard from your sister in a while, why not give her a call? My leg's fine."

"I guess…" He pulled his leg back and Trina rose up, patting off her legs. "She just hasn't been online." She was glad that Tori was doing well, though. She hadn't been calling her up every single day, which was a sign that she was growing. "Maybe she doesn't need her big sister anymore?"

"I think a part of her will always need you."

"Maybe." She left the room to retrieve her laptop. Once she had it, she returned to the couch and sat beside Jesse as she opened the laptop and turned it on. She found herself scooting closer to him, and was surprised when he didn't react. "Sorry, I was just hoping to get you in the camera too when we get Tori on Skype."

"Fine by me."

"Okay." He spread his arms out over the top of the couch and leaned his head back, sighing heavily. She shook off a slight blush when she felt his body against hers. Her mind drifted to Sinjin and she struggled to decide if she was too close to Jesse.

When the power started, she put up Skype and looked for Tori's username. She was happy to see the girl was online, so instantly she clicked the 'video call' button. It rang a couple times, then the webcam turned on and Tori appeared on the screen. "Trina!" Tori cheered. She was laying on her bed with her laptop on her chest. Her hair was in a ponytail. Her eyes lit up when she saw Jesse. "Ooh, you two look so cute!"

"What? I-uh-" She looked to Jesse, who simply closed his eyes and shrugged. "Yeah, we're not together, Tori. I just wanted him to be in the video." Tori looked disappointed for a second, then moved on.

"I guess it is still soon-anyways, how's it going?"

"Good. We were wondering about you. Haven't heard from you in a while. How's college? What's Jade up to?"

"Crazy, and Jade? She's well…we're kind of going through an awkward phase in our friendship. Probably also the reason I haven't called you in a while." Trina scrunched her face and leaned forward. "Haven't really wanted to talk to you and dad about it, but oh! Remember Ben? He and I are dating now!"

"Good for you and Ben, but what's going on with you and Jade? How are classes?"

"Classes are _fine_. I'm making A's and B's, with…minimal C's." Trina brushed her hair behind her ear and started to smile.

"Proud of you little sister. I'm happy you've got a boyfriend too. Does he treat you right?"

"Oh yes! Very much so."

"Now what's the part about you and Jade? Are you guys okay?"

"Yeah…" Tori looked away for a minute, then back to the screen. "Um, like I said, we had a rough patch to get past, but we did. We're still best friends till the end. Anyway, my confession, and um maybe don't talk to Dad about it? I kind of don't want to suffer his wrath for my mistakes…" Trina thought back to her father's anger and laughed while Jesse cringed at the memory.

"Believe me, I know how that feels. Your secret's safe with me baby sis." Tori raised an eyebrow and slowly sat up against the headboard, sighing heavily. Studying her sister's face, Trina was greatly concerned. "Tori? Is it anything that's going to make me want to fly down to Baylor and kick someone's ass?"

Tori's eyes widened and her hand flew to her chest, "No!" Tori cleared her throat and smiled sadly. "I mean, you might, but don't worry because the situation's handled. The douche responsible got expelled…it helps when your friend's father is the president of the university."

"Tori. _What happened_?" She leaned forward and Jesse's expression began to harden. "Did someone hurt you?"

"Nothing like that." Tori lifted her head and groaned. "God this is hard. I'm just going to blurt it out. Jade and I went to this sorority party and a fraternity guy showed up and we got a little drunk…one thing led to another and…" Seeing where this was going, Trina's eyes widened and her nostrils flared out. I'm not a lesbian or anything! I don't like girls like that, honest! Neither does Jade, but…"

"You did _what?!"_

Tori glanced to the side and swept her hair back, _"_Yeah…we kind of had sex with each other. Didn't talk to each other for a few days after that, but Sam and Cat got us talking again. I didn't want to say anything because I knew you and Dad would be like…really pissed of that I did that-"

"You think?! Tori, for one thing, what are you doing going to a stupid ass sorority party! All those people _do_ is drink and have sex, you're better than that! I mean hell I know I'm not one to preach-and I'm not trying to, but-" Jesse pat her shoulder and pointed to the screen. She saw Tori bow her head and begin to shake. Instantly she felt guilty for yelling, so she toned down and took a deep breath, trying to shake the visual of her sister and Tori together.

"I'm sorry Trina, I know I messed up."

"No, don't be…I shouldn't have yelled." She exhaled slowly as Tori looked up at her, pouting her lip. "You and Jade worked it out?" Tori nodded her head and Trina gave her a reassuring smile. "Good. Things are well with you and your new boyfriend?"

"Yes. He knows we were just drunk and stupid…"

"We've all done stupid things, _believe me_. As long as you're okay, that's all that matters. Your grades are still up, so I'm proud of you. Just…be careful Tori, it's a rough world out there."

"I know." Tori wiped her eyes and chuckled nervously. "I'm glad you're not too mad, Trina."

"I could never be mad at you for long anyway, Tori. As long as you keep your grades up, I won't tell Dad."

"I'm not going to lie though, it did feel nice in some ways, though I wouldn't tell Jade that. She's not lesbian, and neither am I."

"Even if you were, there wouldn't be anything wrong with that."

"I know! I'm just saying…Jade and I are friends to the end, but I don't want to ruin our friendship by making things awkward. That almost happened, and well, she's the only friend I got right now. Aside from Sam and Cat."

"Yeah…" Trina looked back to Jesse with a tiny smile. "I think I know how that goes." She looked back at her sister, teasingly. "So, my little sister had sex for the first time?" Tori's face started to grow red and she pointed at the screen.

"Don't you dare start teasing me about that!"

"Aw but I haven't teased you in so long."

Tori started to whine, "Stop!" Jesse shook his head while Trina laughed. When she stopped, Tori smiled happily while trying not to laugh at the same time. "You are so mean, Trina."

"You know you love me."

"Yeah I do. Hey, you know what? Can I confess, if I weren't into guys, Jade might not be so bad to date-that is-if she wasn't into guys either." Jesse began to groan, causing both sisters to laugh. This wasn't a good place for him to be, but it made that all the more fun to talk about. "I um…that was my first time, I've never done it before. Trina, have you?" She lifted her eyebrows and Jesse immediately pushed himself from the couch, causing her to nearly drop the laptop.

"Yeah I'm done here," he muttered. Tori winced and lifted her hand up, calling out to him.

"Oh, sorry Jesse!" As Trina caught the computer, she looked over to see Jesse dismissing them by walking into the kitchen and waving his hand through the air.

Trina pulled her hair back and straightened herself on the couch. She took a deep breath and slowly shook her head. "I haven't. Sinjin and I thought about it, but we didn't think we were ready. Why?"

"Well…after doing that with Jade, I started thinking about Ben. I got to feeling like I wanted to do it with him, you know." She scrunched her nose slightly, trying to ignore the thought of her sister in bed with _anyone_.

"And?"

"Well I haven't, I just, I guess I was wondering how it felt."

"Unless you're ready for that, and the commitment as well as feelings that come with it, then I think you should wait. Sex-as I'm sure you and Jade found out-brings about a _lot_ of emotions and feelings. I know this because when Sinjin and I thought about it, we started feeling…weird. There's a kind of bond that comes with it, you know. And then it's like I'm sure you found out in regards to your friendship with her, if you separate after it, it's going to feel like…Well…" She flipped her head back, throwing her hair over her shoulder. "You've pulled Velcro apart, right?"

"Yeah, of course…"

"You know the amount of force needed?"

"Yes."

"Imagine that as your body. You do that act, your body becomes connected to that person, and if you ever split away from that person, it's almost like your soul tearing apart like that Velcro." Tori winced and slowly nodded her head, understanding the circumstance. "That's why, unless you're _sure_ it's the right person and you're _sure_ you're ready for the emotions that are going to come with it-as well as whether or not you want to be with that particular person for the rest of your life…you probably should hold off."

"Sounds pretty serious."

"It is." She heard Jesse in the other room operating a blender. She started to smile and closed her eyes. "Blender, right…that's what sex does, something Dad used to tell me when I first started dating and thought about it. It operates like a blender, taking all those emotions and just mashing them together in one pot." She took a deep breath and focused on Tori, who was listening earnestly. "I think right now, the best thing for you to do is focus on your education. Okay? If you ever have questions, or you're confused about something, talk to me. I'll be here for you."

"Thanks Trina…" A door closed in the background and Tori looked up from the computer, gasping softly. "Oh! Jade's back."

"Who you talking to?" Jade asked off screen.

"Trina."

"Cool. How's she holding up?"

"She's good."

"The girls are going to head out to grab a bite to eat, want to join us? Maybe ask Ben to come along?" Tori nodded and looked back to Trina, waving slightly.

"I'm going to go, but I'll talk to you soon, okay?"

Trina waved back, "All right Tori, you have fun. Love you little sis."

"You too!"

As the feed ended, Trina closed her laptop and looked over to the kitchen, smirking as Jesse stepped into the doorway. He was holding a smoothie in his hand, and had an orange moustache on his upper lip. "I made a Peach-mango smoothie. Want some?"

"Sure." She stood up and walked over to him. Instinctively, she lifted her finger and swept the smoothie moustache from his lip, catching him off guard. "You needed a shave." She licked her finger and walked into the kitchen. Jesse lifted his eyes up and shook his head, sighing heavily.

"Women and the things they go through…Tell me Roger's done with the hit on the Cravens."

* * *

So I'll go ahead and put the next chapter up for you as I promised up there (I'd written the author note when I wrote the chapter). Normally I don't do it so soon, but it shouldn't be a big deal since AL is done being written.


	38. Conflicted Hearts and Emotions

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 38 (Conflicted Hearts)

Still waiting on Roger to call them and let them know how things were going with the Cravens, Trina and Jesse remained on the couch with a large blender full of freshly made smoothies. They were watching some movie on the television, but it was hard to get into it since the first half of it was excruciatingly boring. Trina tugged her lip back and looked over to Jesse, her conversation with Tori was still fresh on her mind. "Hey Jesse. I'm…about to ask you a personal question, so stop me if it's too much." He took a sip of his smoothie and glanced at her curiously. "It's about you and Sasha, I guess. Maybe even before that."

"Okay. What do you want to know?"

"Did you two ever, you know…make love?" He moved back slightly and looked back to the television with a frown. Trina shook her head and looked away, lifting up a hand. "Too personal, I know. I'm sorry." She rubbed her knee and stared down at the blender. It wouldn't matter to her if he had. Rather, she'd be happy for him if it were the case. She felt the couch shift and glanced over to see him leaning to the right a bit.

"No." Her heart stopped and her lips parted. "We never went that far. I respected her, she respected me. Not only did we want to wait until we were married, we didn't want to risk having a kid in the life we were in. Can you imagine…raising a child in this life? You can't always trust birth control. As for any other woman, no. I've never done that with anybody. I'm not macho to admit it, because I don't see a problem with admitting to that. You?"

"No, there's nothing wrong with admitting it. I mean I don't get the hype either. Why does it matter?" She leaned forward to grab the blender and refill her drink. "I respect a man that's willing to admit that, and I respect you…because you respect boundaries. Sinjin was that way too, he never pushed, never wanted that. I was thankful for that. You're probably surprised to learn that about me."

"Not really." She leaned back in the couch and smiled at him. "You didn't seem like the type of woman to do that, so I never assumed or thought about it. He leaned back and turned his head towards her, meeting her eyes with a soft smile. "Any man would be lucky to be with you, you know that? Sounds like you made Sinjin pretty happy." Her cheeks began to redden and her heart began to race against her ribs.

"I bet you made Sasha incredibly happy."

"I did the best I could." He put his hands to his waist and glanced up to the ceiling. "Sometimes the best is all we can do. Like you, I wanted her to be out of this life, but no matter how much she wanted out, she didn't want to leave as long as I was stuck in it. I shouldn't have let her out of my sight that day, you know…"

"You really loved her." She bit her lip and looked down as her hand slowly slid towards him. Her heart echoed within her as she stopped and pulled her hand away. "You think…You think you'd ever have enough room in your heart for another woman?"

"I don't know. I want to think I can love someone else again. I'd be afraid of being alone for the rest of my life."

"Yeah…" She didn't want to be alone either, but how could she ever open herself up to love someone else? Even if she felt it, she was scared still about what Sinjin would think, and he wasn't even around to care. "What do you think…what do you think would happen when we die? Say we fell in love with someone new and we passed on, who would we be with in the afterlife?"

"Well, some religions say when you die. You don't have semblance of relationships and stuff. You recognize the person and you know them, but you don't really have that earthly relationship anymore. I don't know if that's the case or not…"

"If it is, then…why would we pine for someone still up there?"

"I don't know. Broken heart, maybe? The feelings remain on earth." She was surprised by how much he seemed to know. It was hard to imagine how he got so smart, and of course, it did impress her. He scratched his head and let his eyes drop for a minute. "I went through this when Sasha passed away. Wondering about whether or not I'd see her again and all that. I think-I know that I will, but I know we won't have the same relationship up there that we had here. I had someone, a preacher really, explain it to me. He told me I shouldn't dwell and I should move on with my life, but it's difficult to really think that as an option when you've been with someone for so long, and then it's hard to think they'd be happy if you moved on from them."

It sounded like Pastor James, really. She understood the advice, it was essentially what David told them so long ago. She didn't know what Sinjin would think about her wanting to move on from him because her heart still yearned for him, but her heart also yearned for the touch of someone else. Would he really be happy if she moved on? At the same time, she _knew_ Sinjin would never want her to be so stuck on his passing that she never tried to have a healthy relationship again. "Do you ever think about whether or not to try and feel, again? I mean, it's confusing and everything, but…sometimes I think, I want to be loved by someone and I want to give someone my love. I'm scared though."

"Of what?"

"What Sinjin would think."

"I think he'd want you to be happy. But then, for me to give advice like that." Jesse leaned sideways a bit and peered down at the blender. "Don't think that it doesn't cross my mind, though. I wonder about the same stuff. It's been almost a year since Sasha-Roger and everyone else have constantly been up my ass about getting back out there and trying to date again, but they just don't get it. I know they mean well, but…" Trina frowned as Jesse looked back to the television. "I don't know how to explain it. I'd probably say the same thing as you, though, about Sasha."

Her heart began to split amongst her own confusion. She studied the luminescent glow on his body from the television screen. It accentuated his muscular arms and the light flickered on him at the pace of her own heart. Her eyes began to mist, much to her annoyance. She wiped her eyes quickly and looked away.;

_ "What is wrong with me? Sinjin…I-"_ She shook her head and stifled a whine as her chest began to ache. The throbbing inside sent out slivers of pain that numbed her body and tensed her muscles. _"I want to be happy. I want to be with Sinjin, but…God help me…"_ Even if he was gone, even if he wouldn't care anymore, how could she ever betray him by being with another man? She wouldn't be, would she? _"Is it really okay, if I allow myself to feel these feelings or should I continue to push them away?"_ Her eyes drifted to Jesse and her stomach tightened up.

It would be easier if it were just sudden, but it had been a gradual progression since the day she met him. All attractions she felt towards him, all feelings that sparked between the two of them, she'd pushed down for so long. To the point that it was getting harder and harder to keep doing so.

"Trina. I do not want to hurt you." She jerked her head up suddenly and looked over to see him studying the wall above the TV.

"What? Hurt me? Seriously? After all this time, you think you could hurt me?" She wanted to laugh, to smirk and scoff, but she couldn't. Jesse looked towards her, smiling slightly. "You couldn't _possibly_ hurt me." Though he could, she hadn't built her wall quick enough to keep him out. Nobody could hurt her, but he very well had that power. When did she allow that? "No. Why would you think you would hurt me? What could you possibly do to do that?"

"We both know that we're not entirely over the people we loved before. For you it's Sinjin, for me-Sasha." He looked into her eyes and his expression grew serious. "I see how you act sometimes, and I hope I'm not coming across an asshole by saying this, but I can see the way you look at me."

"Yeah, well-"

"Don't think I don't do the same. The thing is, while you still have feelings for Sinjin and you still pine for him, so do I where Sasha comes into play. I don't want to lead you on, especially if I still have feelings for someone else, who…yes, isn't around anymore." She bowed her head and lifted her shoulders.

"I know. I…think the same for Sinjin." Tears started to well up in her eyes and she began to pout internally.

"Then there's the whole issue of what we're dealing with." She glanced up at him, pulled in by his gaze. She started to lean forward, trying to will herself to stop. "The Scrapperz, the Cravens…This whole life. Sasha _died_ because of it, I won't subject you to the same thing."

"I'm already a part of it."

"I know. I would rather die than to let something happen to you, I think you know that." She lifted her shoulders as he looked to her.

"Is it possible for us to move on? I mean…I don't know, I don't want to have a relationship with someone in order to forget Sinjin. I want to feel again because I don't want to be alone. I need someone in my life who cares about me. I'm not asking you to be that person or anything, I'm just…I'm just conversing, really. That's all." She was quick to shut herself up before she let herself open up.

She felt a surprisingly warm feeling on her cheek and looked up, gasping softly. Her breath stilled in her chest as her eyes connected with Jesse's, and her hand rose to touch his. "Trina. You're beautiful, strong, intelligent, and that's why I don't want to hurt you. I don't want you to get your hopes up. I'm not rejecting you, I couldn't do that, but it would take a lot for me to open myself up to someone."

"You don't think I know that? We've been living together, how long now?" He chuckled softly and closed his eyes. "You're more shut in than I am."

"You need somebody that can be there for you emotionally, not someone who is as screwed up as I am, and I think we both know that."

"Never hurts to try, but I understand. I wasn't suggesting that we-I was just-"

"Conversing? Yeah…so was I." She leaned forward slightly, keeping her eyes with his. The pain in her chest was overwhelming, and her body was completely numb. "I…I went and did it, didn't I?"

"Did what? You didn't hurt me, if that's what you're thinking." She scoffed and closed her eyes. "Just don't say 'let's be friends'. I don't want to make you think you're rejecting me or-"

"I didn't say it could never work out between us. Again, any man would be lucky to be with you. You're beautiful, strong both physically inside and out. You've got qualities about you that would make any man jump at the opportunity to be with you." Her eyelids rose halfway as her cheeks began to burn. He started to lean forward and her eyes began to widen.

Soon, their lips connected and her eyes fluttered shut as she opened her lips and moved her arms around him, leaning into the strange new kiss. Her heart exploded inside of her and the pain began to subside as a startling warmth took over her and revitalized her body. Her tears began to flow over her cheekbones as she moved her hands up to his head, tangling her fingers through his soft hair. His strong arms wrapped around her, holding her close, as though protecting her from the world.

She leaned against his body, shuddering as he pulled his lips from hers. Her heart continued to pound out its emotion. She wasn't sure what to think, or how to feel. At first thought, she wanted to beg Sinjin to forgive her, as she enjoyed the kiss, but on the other hand, she didn't feel bad about it in the slightest. She was breathless, panting heavily and yearning for more.

Jesse swept his fingers through her hair, gazing at it with a strange new emotion. "What…was that?" His hot breath fell upon her face, and she moved a trembling hand up to his chest.

"Trina. A woman like you doesn't come around often. You're special, unique, driven. The problem isn't that I still feel for Sasha like you feel for Sinjin, the problem is the risk."

"What risk?"

"I do not want to lose you. But, this life…I'm going to be honest, we can't escape it."

"You're scared." Hell, she was scared too, and all of a sudden very confused. She let out a slow breath as a lump started to form in her throat. Her lungs stilled in her chest as a breathless sensation started to over come her. "Scared of feeling something?"

"To death. Not of feeling anything, just...I haven't wanted to be with anyone else, not just because of Sasha, but because I don't want to go through that hell again. I don't want to put someone else through that hell either. I don't want to hurt you, because I…care about you. Even now I feel like I'm hurting you, and I don't want you to think that. If we're being perfectly honest here, it's because I-"

Just then the phone on the end table began to ring. Jesse winced and looked back, growling at the phone as if it were an enemy. Realizing the situation they were in, Trina pulled away and folded her hands in her lap. "Go ahead and answer, it's probably Roger."

"Trina?"

"We can…pick this up another time." She glanced at him and he let out a heavy sigh before grabbing the phone.

"What is it?" He snapped. She rolled her eyes and looked away.

"Don't snap at Roger, he didn't do anything." Jesse blinked and lowered his voice. His expression softened and his shoulders fell.

"Sorry about that, and no you're not interrupting anything." Trina leaned against the armrest and put her hand to her head. Her eyes drifted slowly to the kitchen doorway while she mentally counted the beating of her heart. What had Jesse been about to say? She supposed it didn't matter. It didn't feel like rejection in the slightest, but at the same time, she couldn't help but to feel torn apart.

She hated it. She hated how she felt, and how unprepared she was for this amount of emotion to be in her life. He didn't want to hurt her because he was afraid of losing her? She didn't know what to make of it, not to mention, she didn't know what to make of kissing him. If Sinjin knew she kissed another man, but did it matter? Of course it didn't, yet she couldn't shake the feeling of being stuck in a rut.

Jesse hung up the phone and Trina turned her head over her shoulder. "Well? How'd everything go with the Cravens?"

"They took out two of the Captains and one of the Lieutenants."

"Wesley's not going to be happy."

"Wesley can kiss my ass." Trina chuckled softly and glanced away from him. He studied her for a second and breathed out a heavy sigh. "Trina-"

"How are we going to hit the Scrapperz? I'm thinking we should probably put some spies in. Dad's already arrested Alfonso, so all they have left is Ramón, Carlos and Manuel…We need to find Manuel."

"True…"

"I think I'm going to take a shower, then I'm going to get to bed. This movie's boring me to tears." Her voice cracked for a second and she quickly rose up. She started for the stairs and stopped to look back at Jesse, smiling softly at him. "See you in the morning?"

"Yeah. I'll…see you in the morning."

"And don't worry. You're not going to hurt me. You never know, maybe I might enjoy being hurt…" He bowed his head and let out a scoffing chuckle. She cleared her throat and began making her way upstairs. She didn't want to be around him right now when she was feeling so conflicted and confused. A hot shower would probably make things better, she needed to clear her head out anyway.

* * *

So a lot of emotion in this chapter. I figured by this time it's been several months for both of them, I wasn't originally going to do this with them, but I thought it'd be okay. Now I have to ask you, considering I did try to stay away from getting too much into relationships, Trina and Jesse never have an actual date before certain events occur (which also gave me less chapters to worry about), but for sake of reader interest I _can_ put in a chapter or two where they might actually try and date. Just a small mini arc that can be put in, but that's going to be up to you guys...


	39. Father's Advice

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 39 (Dad's Advice)

A couple days later, Roger was once again out chasing a lead. This time, Manuel of the Scrapperz had been located. Roger had to go in and infiltrate his base of operations, then dispatch him. Trina hoped things would be figured out soon, so maybe her father could relax, and so could she.

She was worried about Jesse as well, since he'd been quiet for the last few days. They hadn't talked yet about the kiss, or even about the feelings between them. How could she? She didn't know yet what to make of her own conflictions, let alone his. There wasn't really anyone left to talk to about it either, it was as if she had to deal with this all on her own.

Laying on her bed, she swept her fingers through her air and pressed herself into her pillow, sighing as her hands sprawled out to her sides. She watched the ceiling fan spin slowly, pulling her into its hypnotic spell. Her mind wandered towards Sinjin and her heart began to thrash about in her chest. As they danced in her head, Jesse came up behind her and Sinjin, as dance routines seemingly went, handed her off to him. Trina clenched her eyes shut and moved her hands to her forehead, resting her wrists over each other and groaning loudly as tears of confusion stung at her eyes and butchered her heart.

What did she want? _Who_ did she want? One was dead and the other alive, yes. Why was this decision so hard for her? She turned her head to the end table beside her and studied the glow of her cell phone. As her aching heart subsided, she reached over and called her father, not caring that he probably wouldn't want to discuss matters of the heart where Jesse was concerned.

It didn't take more than two rings for him to answer, and when he heard the wavering in her tone, he sounded immensely concerned. "Daddy, I have a problem." When had he moved up to her calling him that? Her hand drifted to her heart and her eyes clenched tight as her eyelashes bathed in her salty tears. "I don't know what to do. I love Sinjin, I still love him, and I'll always love him, but I also love someone else. I…I can't understand." She didn't want to tell him it was Jesse because she didn't think he was on good terms with the guy anymore. However, her father could still see through her ruse, probably because he knew her well enough to know she wasn't hanging out with any other men.

"So, finally developing feelings for that Jesse kid?" She held her breath, not wanting to answer. "It isn't wrong for you to have feelings for someone, sweetheart."

"But what would Sinjin say?"

"What would he say? If he were still alive, he probably wouldn't like it if another man were honing in on his girlfriend. I hate to be blunt, and you know I do, but sometimes you have to hear it like this." Sensing what was about to come out of his mouth, she shook her head and suppressed a whine. "He's not alive anymore, Trina. You have to accept that at some point. It has been eight months. It is the beginning of April, and I know it hurts, but you can't keep pretending he's coming back. He's…not…"

"I _know_." Her heart split into shreds and a sob left her lips. His words destroyed her, despite the truth. She loved him for his honesty, but she hated him for the brutal way of saying it. "What do I do? Why does it hurt, Dad? It…It shouldn't hurt like this. Can something make it go away?"

"I'm afraid not. Sometimes, however, you need to face what you're afraid of. Stare it in the eyes, give a proud roar, and tackle it. Do let your heart guide you, don't let your brain play mind games on you. That's what hurts you the most, dear." She started to sit up and moved back against the headboard, gently wiping her eyes. "What do you_ want_. Maybe you're not ready for what you want quite yet, but maybe you are. Whatever it is, take life by the horns."

"I…"

"You know, this is a terrible thing for me to use, but look at alcohol. Sometimes when a person is drunk, they let their guard down. Say you were drunk right now, what would you do?" She chuckled, struggling not to laugh, which was what she thought he was trying to make her do.

"If I was drunk?" She looked towards the door and tucked her bottom lip beneath her back teeth. It didn't take long for her to figure it out, and for the moment, she forgot she was on the phone with her father. "If I were drunk, I'd probably jump his bones." Realizing what she'd just told her dad, she froze and started to apologize when she heard him shudder. After the shudder, he let out a small, teasing laugh.

"Wait a minute, which guy is that, sweetheart?" Her cheeks burned hot and her jaw dropped.

"I am _not_ into necrophilia, Dad!"

"Then I suppose you have your answer. Just, don't let me know if you ever have sex with someone, even if they might be a corpse." She narrowed her eyes, but still struggled to resist a laugh. "You might be turning twenty-one this year, but you'll still always be my little girl, and I do _not_ want to know if my little girl is having sex. Granted, whenever you marry, obviously I'll know, I just don't need the announcement. Which means no playing Lonely Island and Akon."

"Dad!" She covered her smile and laughed into her hand. That song and video was big on Youtube back in the day. She and Tori would sometimes play and sing along with it, despite the fact that they never had sex. Sometimes, when they'd sing and dance, they'd see their father leaning back in his chair, staring out of his study and shaking his head at them. "You're crazy, you know that?" Despite it, she was feeling a lot better now, and confident more in her feelings.

"I hope you're feeling better, though. You know, if you want to come home you can."

"I'm fine. Hey, Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"We um…we kissed." She moved her hair back, frustrated with it hanging in front of her. She waited for her father to respond, but wasn't surprised when he didn't. "I know it's nothing special, and probably not something you don't want to hear from your daughter, I just…I had to let it out."

"Well, I'm not going to complain. Trina, you're a grown woman who is capable of doing anything she wants and getting whatever you want out of life. If you're ready to move into a relationship, do it, okay?"

"I don't know. I'm not sure if _he's_ ready. I think he's scared…I mean, I am too, and I understand why he is. He doesn't want to lose me, doesn't want something bad to happen to me. I don't want anything bad to happen to him either."

"A relationship of any kind takes faith, trust, and stability. Responsibility and respect too. Love is just a small part of it, I'll be honest. To love someone, true love is being able to look that person in the eyes and tell them you hate their guts sometimes, but you love them no matter what. Love is…being patient. They can piss you off more than anything in the world, but you still want to stand beside them no matter what. I think maybe you are in love, or at least, feeling it. I mean, can you tell me there isn't some part of you that has been staying right there because you want to be next to him?"

"No…I can't, because, that is a part of it. He was there for me when no one else was. He made me smile and laugh again. He was…He was-"

"Jesse was what you needed at the time, and maybe what you need now. Maybe you're the person he needs. You won't know if you never try. If you only remain stationary." She leaned forward, still studying her door frame as his wise words lifted her up. "It's _okay_ to still love Sinjin, it's _okay_ to be afraid of moving on. I still miss your mother, despite all her affairs, I still cared for her. I know a divorce was probably going to happen, but I still would have cared. Even still, I know I don't want to be alone, so I willed myself to try and move on. I met Grace, and well, she is a good woman. Doesn't talk much about herself, though."

"You've dated her since Christmas and she doesn't talk much about herself? Really, Dad?"

"Hey it's different for some people. How much of Jesse's past did you know after three months of knowing him?"

"Not _that_ much…not like what I know now, but yeah. I get your point. How is she anyway? You going on any dates?"

"Oh yes, actually we're fixing to head out tonight. We're going to this theatre production, so I'll have my phone turned off."

"What theatre?"

"McKinley Ford Cinema." Trina paused for a minute before looking out the nearby window. She'd heard of that particular cinema, but it was in a different gang territory. She thought it was the Cravens territory, but it could be the Scrapperz. Either way, it wasn't the Knights. There probably wasn't anything to worry about, but it could be potentially dangerous for him to be walking around enemy territory.

"I don't know about you, but I don't like theaters much. Jesse's last girlfriend died outside one. Also, who the hell names a theater after McKinley and then follows up with Ford? How is that not ominous in the least bit?"

"Relax Trina. It'll be a good night." If he said they were going to see _Our American Cousin_, she was going to have to request he choose another theater, play, and day. "We're winning the war, Trina. The gangs have dwindled quite a bit."

"They have." The Cravens and the Scrapperz were both very weak at this point. The Scrapperz only had two Captains now and Manuel was left, though Roger was told to not try and fight the guy if he ran into the man, but rather just find the list of corrupt police officers and be done with it. The Cravens actually lost their remaining captain, Randy, to a car accident. He had on his body a list documenting all of the fighters that he was in charge of, and that took out a total of sixty people the police were able to arrest. "This city loves you, dad. You're their salvation, and only in four to five months…"

He laughed deeply and sighed, "I've been working a lot longer than that. Warren may have been sick, but much of that time I was able to move in and fight gang activity the best I could."

"You're a hero. Not just to the people in this city, but…" She began to smile and stood up to walk towards the window. She pulled her curtain aside and gazed down at the ground. "To me too, Dad. I know I used to accuse you for being a workaholic, but…I'm glad you cared so much about me, Tori, and this town." She didn't get a chance to say that much, and for once, she didn't want to hold her thoughts in.

"Thank you Trina. You know, I'm proud of you, angel. You and your sister both." He paused for a time and Trina looked up to study the sky. "I know I never said it much, but everything I did, I did for you two. I love you. Always."

"Love you too, Daddy." She closed her eyes as her heart began to pound in her chest. "When we're done with these gangs. Jesse and I…you'll let us be with you?"

"Of course I will. You're safe, I'll help you and him get out of that life."

"Good." She never thought she'd get hope from her own father. Of all the people she thought would ever help, he truly was the last person on that list. "You go enjoy your date. I won't keep you any longer. Thanks for talking to me."

"Anytime. Try to get some rest, and remember what I said. If you feel ready, and you want to, listen to your heart to tell you what's right. Regarding Jesse, of course."

"I will…bye for now, Dad."

"Talk to you again soon."

* * *

Good advice given I'd say, though that ominous feeling can't be shaken. What do you think of the chapter.


	40. Bitter Storm

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 40 (Bitter Storm)

She leaned up against the windowsill, watching with a slight frown as the rain pelted the outside panes. Dark clouds were moving in, and thunder was beginning to blast out. Trina heard footsteps and relaxed her shoulders as Jesse walked up beside her. "I love a good storm," She turned her head to him, gazing into his eyes with a gentle smile. "Sometimes I wish you would have let me die. You know that?"

"You'd be asking the wrong person." He smirked back at her and looked out into the rain as well. "If I had to go back to that very day, I wouldn't change my decision at all. You're worth saving from the rain. You're worth everything."

"You mean that? Or are you just trying to make me feel better about myself?"

"I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it." He moved his hand to her back and she leaned back into his palm, sighing heavily as his soft whisper reached her ear. "And if it makes you feel better, then that's even better." She breathed out softly and let out a light moan as she circled her shoulders, catching his hand between her shoulder blades. "Would you have changed a thing?"

"No. I mean, some things, maybe, but I wouldn't change meeting you for a second." She turned to face him and let her eyes fall to his lips. She resisted the urge to move her arms around his neck, and leaned back against the window, sitting up on the windowsill. Her lip curled into a playful smirk as she tilted head to the right. "But I still hate you for not leaving me alone when I told you to leave me alone." He started to laugh, and she bowed her head. "I mean seriously, what am I going to do with you? You've got me in a rut, you know."

"Should I apologize?"

"Yes. Yes you should."

"Well then, I'm sorry." He folded his arms over and hinted at a smirk. "I don't know what I did, but whatever it is that I'm sorry for, I apologize." The feeling of the rain beating down on the other side of the window drowned out the yearning in her heart. Her father's words echoed in her mind, but she still doubted herself. "Hey, I'm also sorry…If I've been distant in the last few days, I don't mean to be. I don't want you to think I'm avoiding you. I'm not."

"Neither am I." She turned her head sideways and moved her lips into a frown. Her fingers curled over the windowsill. "I'm recovering."

"Did I hurt you?"

"No. It's just confusion. I'm confused, conflicted…I don't know what I want or what I feel. Then, I feel like a hopeless romantic. I want something I can't have, I need something I want. Sure I get how you feel, I don't want to trample Sasha's memory any more than you want to Sinjin's…" She turned her head towards him and moved it back against the window. "But we're alive. Like it or not, can we really run from our own feelings?"

"It wouldn't be recommended. No. What are your feelings?"

"I…have no idea." Truth be told, she didn't want to say. She didn't want to feel rejected anymore and would rather feel the pain of unrequited feelings and confusion than to feel turned down. "I'm still in love with Sinjin. I want to move on, but I don't think I can take rejection right now."

"Who's rejecting you?"

"Do you have to ask?"

"No." She watched his eyes trail up to a strand of hair hanging over her forehead. She took a sharp breath and held it as he moved his hand up and gently tucked the hair back. His hand cupped her cheek and she closed her eyes, leaning into it. Her heart began to ache once more as she felt his lips upon hers. She took his free hand and moved it to her waist to stabilize herself.

It was like kissing uncertainty, she loved every second of it but it scared her at the same time. She didn't want to feel the emotions swirling about inside her like a tidal wave, she didn't want to be confused or conflicted.

She couldn't stand the fear that came with this kiss, the fear she might fall in love with someone new.

Her arms drifted up and hung around Jesse's neck as he pulled away from her breathless lips. Her eyes slid up into his, and her heart began to sink. Perhaps he was feeling the same things she was? This kiss, she could feel it, it brought to light all these emotions for the both of them. The confusion flickered in his eyes, and for the first time, he looked more like a lost puppy than a fearless leader or a protective friend. "Jesse…" She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, struggling with the waves of conflict within her.

"Tell me if I shouldn't kiss you, and I won't."

"No…it isn't that. When we kiss, what do you feel?" He leaned back slightly, though she leaned forward towards him. "For me. I feel like…I don't know. It's something I haven't felt in an extremely long time, and it scares me. It scares me because I don't know what's going to come with it or what's going to happen."

"Me either. I'm not one to talk about, you know…"

"Humor me?" Her eyes dazzled into his and he started to smile. "You don't have to, I'm just…trying to figure this all out. I don't want to lose you, Jesse. I don't want to leave your side. You've pushed and pushed for me to leave this life, but I can't, _won't_, because I need to be by your side. I know you push because you want to protect me, but I'm a big girl, I can handle myself."

"I know that." He tucked a finger under her chin and tilted her gaze up, studying her carefully. "That's why I can't lose you. I can't say it, I can't explain it. I don't know why…"

"Maybe you're confused too?"

"Sometimes. Sometimes I know what I want, other times I don't. Sometimes I want to say, to hell with the Scrapperz, the Cravens…" He titled his head back, still holding her gaze. She exhaled slowly and started to smile at him. "We could run away, I might think. Get away from it all, take our escape, but then…I think they'd find us. If anyone, Beck would…And then comes losing you, and the hell that comes with it. It can't happen, I can't let anything happen to you, even though I know you'd take care of yourself just fine."

His words toyed with her heart, and she found herself wanting to hear more about how much she meant to him. How important she was to him. "So then, you do care about me?" Was it really so 'star-crossed' though? Why couldn't they be together?

"I do care about you. But I don't want you to fall for someone who might very well be dead the next day. I want you to be happy."

"I can't just pick who I fall for, Jesse. Hearts don't work like that. Surely you know that!"

"Of course I do."

"Then accept that I'm happy where I am at right now." He chuckled under his breath and bowed his head.

"As much as I don't want to, I can accept that. I want to tell you to run, to fly out to your sister or to Florida."

"Pointless. The other gangs would just find me, you damn well know that." She feared the other gangs more than anything at this point. It wasn't just the Scrapperz, or the Cravens, it was every small gang that wanted to be at the top. They were all gunning for the Knights, but busy being overshadowed by this stupid war. "You once said, the longer you're a part of this life, the harder it is to leave. I'm so deep in that I can't get out. My dad may be the only way for both of us to get out. If so, would you leave with me?"

"Of course I would." She breathed out and started to lean towards him, eyeing the smooth curve of his tender lips. He kissed her gently, daring her to feel those frightening emotions once again. She wanted more.

She tightened her arms around his neck and pulled him closer to her. As she was moving for a deeper kiss, the cell phone started going off. She let out a groan as Jesse threw his phone from his pocket onto the bed. Of course, when the phone started ringing again, she pulled away from him and glared at the phone. "Answer it. It's Roger. I'm sure of it." She was going to wring Roger's neck if he didn't stop interrupting these moments she had with Jesse. "I swear to god, I'm going to kill him. Not being literal, but _still."_

Jesse laughed and accepted the call. Almost immediately, Trina could hear Roger's frantic voice on the other line. Jesse's face tensed, and he hit the speakerphone. She moved closer, listening as Jesse tried to get Roger to calm down. "I didn't manage to get a full list of corrupt names and officials in the LAPD," Roger began, "But I got out of there in time to avoid being caught by Manuel. You won't believe what I found!"

"What is it?"

"Your instincts were right. There's something up about that woman Chief Vega's dating." Trina felt her heart stop, and suddenly everything that she'd been thinking about and feeling in the last several minutes disappeared as though they were never there.

"What?" She moved closer to the phone, hovering over it, "What's wrong with Grace?" Grace was a nice woman, she wouldn't do anything wrong, would she?

"Here's the thing. She's not just any woman, she's Beck Oliver's _aunt!"_ Trina started to feel faint as horror and panic shot up her spine. "She's working for the Scrapperz. It was Beck's plan the whole time to get close to Mr. Vega, to get him to trust someone…Jesse, Trina, the Chief's in danger. You need to call him, warn him somehow."

"I-I can't-he's on a date and has his phone turned off! I need to go!" She immediately took off, running for the steps and forgetting all about Jesse. She had to get to her father, she had to get him away from Grace whether he believed her or not!

On the way to the McKinley-Ford Cinema, Trina's heart was going crazy with fear, worry, turmoil. Her eyes were full of tears as she kept trying to get in touch with her dad. She knew she couldn't contact the LAPD safely, they were all part of the Scrapperz now. Her dad had lost them.

"Trina…"

"What?" She pulled the phone from her ear and gasped as red and blue flashed in the sky, glinting off the rain. Her lungs deflated as tears shot down her cheeks. "N-No…No! No, no, no, _no!"_ Jesse barely had the car parked before Trina bolted out of it.

She ran several feet, screaming at the top of her lungs at the ambulance parked outside the theater. The paramedics were rolling out a stretcher with a body and a blanket covering it. Her screaming intensified when she saw the news camera and the reporter saying that Chief Vega had been shot and killed atop the balcony overlooking the Cinema's stage. The one who shot him had been sitting with him.

Her heart crashed to a halt and rage seeped through her veins, choking her.

_ Grace._

The woman was in cuffs and being led towards the police car by officers Trina _knew_ were loyal to the force. It didn't matter. She started to charge forward as the rain disguised her tears, but before she could lunge, she felt a pair of strong arms around her waist, holding her back. "No! Let me go! I hate her! I hate her, I hate her! Dad! Daddy! _Dad! _Please no! Please! Fucking be joking!"

Her knees began to buckle and she started to fall, but Jesse kept her from doing so. She turned onto him and started pounding into his chest for several seconds before falling into him, weeping bitterly on his shoulder. "This is a nightmare. This is a bad dream. Please tell me…Please Jesse…" Her body trembled as he moved his hand to her back and held her close.

"I'm sorry, Trina…"

"All he wanted…all he ever wanted was his home to be safe. Why? Why couldn't he have that? Why!" Her words were mixed with her sobs, and her sobs drowned out by the violent claps of thunder.

She felt Jesse's fingers sweeping through the back of her soaked hair. She knew he'd want to get out of the rain, but neither of them were moving. Her hands tightened in his shirt as she bit into his shoulder sleeve in an attempt to muffle her cries. All Jesse could do for her now was to be there for her, nothing more.

Chief David Vega was pronounced dead, the 5th of April, 2014 at 10:00 PM.

* * *

A very steamy tender moment between the two at the start as they take another step, but the night unfortunately ends in tragedy. What do you make of it?


	41. A Sister's Grief

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 41 (Sister's Grief)

Trina stood before her father's grave with a stern expression and heavy heart. Jesse was to beside her while Tori and Jade were to her left. They were allowed by their teachers some time to come up, but only for a day or two. All four were dressed in black. "He was a hero," Tori's voice quivered as she knelt down and slid her fingers along the marble tombstone. "His lifelong dream…was to clear out the crime in this city. He died for his cause-oh daddy." Her tears dripped from her face and Jade reached down, setting her hand to Tori's shoulder.

"He was a great man," Jesse responded softly. Trina looked towards him, her heart jumping forward as the wind rushed past them. Jesse breathed in slowly. "A lot of fathers out there can put the fear of god into a man, David could put the fear of himself into God. I don't know any man on earth more powerful."

The funeral ceremony had been a big one, the entire city had come out for him. Trina was amazed by all the people that showed up for her father. It scared her as well, because it only made things that much more real to her. She was also amazed by her sister's strength. Tori wept as she had, but she never broke down. Or maybe she had, and maybe Jade was there for her.

"Why do I lose everyone that is important to me?" Trina sobbed without breath. She studied her sister, who was still staring at the grave with a stern, but mournful expression. Truth be told, she was terrified that Tori was here, because that put her in the heart of all the war. "What's the point?" Punishment? Was it some sort of cosmic karma? "Is it some kind of sick joke God's playing?"

"God doesn't play jokes." Tori pushed herself up and bowed her head, trembling like a leaf in the wind. "I lost people to, Trina." She turned to her and took Trina's hands before hugging her. "We're all we have left…" Tori jerked back, her eyes full of sorrow and now concern. "How am I going to pay for college, Trina? I can get a job, but it's not going to be enough."

"Don't worry, I'll take care of it." She closed her eyes and moved her hand to her stomach, feeling it tighten as she struggled to forget the scene from a few days prior. "Dad…probably had life insurance and a will too. There's also scholarships…"

"Yeah…but it's a hell of a time to think about this stuff." Tori sniffled and moved back into her hug with Trina. "Why did it happen to him? I don't…I don't understand." As much as it hurt, and as much as she wanted to answer, she didn't know how to tell her sister that Beck was the one responsible. Albeit not the one that pulled the trigger.

"That woman he was dating was involved with the gang responsible. Half the LAPD are corrupt…" Tori gasped and Jade's eyes widened. The thought that David could have been killed by his own men was more unsettling still than even the thought of Beck having been involved. "Maybe he was a workaholic, but he loved us, Tori. Everything he did…he did for us."

"I don't really want to hear that right now." Tori turned back to the grave and moved her hands to her eyes, sobbing into them. After a minute, she lifted her head and stopped her tears. "W-Where's that woman he was dating? Grace? Where is she?"

Jade rolled her head to the side and glanced over, "That name sounds familiar. I think…didn't Beck have a relative with that name?" Trina's hear crashed to a stop and she began trembling as her heart pounded with anger and grief. Couldn't she have just asked Jade from the very start? Would she have believed it? Jade turned her head to the grave and closed her hands tight. "I wonder where Beck is. I was afraid to come back to LA knowing he could be lurking."

"He's around, but no one knows where." Her body grew firm as the girls looked to her. Did she tell them he was probably the most powerful gang leader in LA? Did she tell them all the things Beck was probably doing, had done, and would likely do in the future? They could see in her eyes the situation was worse, but she was too scared to tell them everything about him. "The Scrapperz are everywhere now. People don't even leave their homes now that Dad's…"

Her voice cracked with disbelief. She wanted to blame herself for this, but was she responsible? Beck would have done this regardless of her, but she could have stopped it. "I-I should have done something. I should have gotten there faster." Tori moved forward and hugged her close, weeping with her. As she opened her eyes, she saw Jesse looking off into the distance, probably checking for Roger. They had the three Captains circling the cemetery for good measure, just in case any gangs tried to do anything while they were in mourning.

"We should probably go whenever you two are ready," Jesse spoke softly to remind them of Tori's flight back to Texas. They'd been there for hours as it was, and even Trina was feeling on edge worrying about whether they were being watched.

Jade checked her watch and held her breath, "Our flight does leave in an hour. If we miss it, we won't be able to get to class tomorrow."

"Okay," Tori turned back to the grave and slowly knelt in front of it. "Give me a minute…" The girl bowed her head and closed her eyes, struggling to hold her sobs in place. "Give…give me strength, god…" Trina frowned and slowly bowed her head, joining in her sister's prayer. "Take care of dad. Take care of mom. Keep my sister strong…" Her eyes opened and her voice wavered harder. "I'm going to make you proud, Dad…You didn't-it wasn't all for nothing. I'm going to work as hard as I can, focus on my studies, and…and I'm going to rise to the top too. I'm going to make you proud, I promise."

Tori slowly rose to her feet. She moved her hand to her hair, holding it back as the wind blew it across her face. Her lips thinned over and she slowly turned towards Trina. "I…I'm ready to go now. Will you…make sure Beck isn't around? I don't want to run into him."

"I haven't seen him," Trina admitted, "But yeah. Beck…you don't have to worry about him, Tori."

"I just don't want anything else to happen. All these gangs…" Tori looked around her and clenched her eyes shut. "This city killed my parents, as far as I'm concerned. I just want to leave."

"Okay."

The trip to the airport was a quiet one, undisturbed by the hustle of the town. Tori remained silent the entire way, watching out the window and tensing at the gang members running through the streets. Smaller gangs, sure, but even the Cravens and Scrapperz were about, fighting. Trina could see from the look of disgust on her sister's face that Tori hated it.

This town was going to hell, people were scared to leave their homes and scared to let their children roam free. If their fearless Police Chief could be murdered by his own people, then who could possibly protect them?

Nobody.

Making matters worse, from the list of officers that Roger had managed to find, the man replacing David was being paid off by several smaller gangs _and_ the Scrapperz. All this, Trina didn't need to tell her sister, because she could see that Tori already knew the severity just by watching the activity on the streets.

Police weren't reacting, they weren't responding one bit to all the gang activity. The Las Angeles Police Department had been lost.

At the airport, Trina hugged her sister tight, not wanting to let go. If she let go, she knew Tori wasn't coming back this time. "There's always hope, right Trina?" She smiled at Tori through her own tears and slowly nodded her head. She didn't believe it anymore, though. David had been her hope, and now what did she have? There was no way she could leave this life!

"Hope is what keeps me going," Trina swept away a tear from her puffy eyelids. Tori's hug tightened and her voice lowered to a calm whisper.

"Just act like you believe it. Just for a minute…please?"

"You're the one that still believes God will make things better."

"Things get worse before they get better, Trina…They will get better."

"When?"

"I don't know, but as long as we have each other, what do we have to lose? I love you always, big sis. If you're going to stay in this town, good luck, but I'm just not ready to be back here."

"Will you ever come back home?"

"One day, maybe."Tori shrugged and looked back to Jade, who was signaling for her to hurry up. Trina pushed her towards Jade, struggling not to cry again.

"I love you too Tori, just…do the best you can in school, don't give up. You'll go far, I'm sure you will. You've always made me proud. Goodbye, sis."

"No." Trina raised an eyebrow as Tori turned back to her. "Not goodbye, never goodbye. Goodbyes are too final, you know that." Tori's voice started to crack, which led to fresh tears forming in Trina's eyes. "Bye for now, Trina. I'll see you later."

"Bye for now, then…" Tori nodded and hurried over to Jade, wiping her eyes as they made their way to the terminal. Trina put her hand to her mouth, calling out to her sister. "Call me when your flight lands!" She saw Tori wave. Once she disappeared around the corner out of sight, Trina's knees began to buckle under the weight of all the emotions she'd been fighting to keep inside.

"Do you think you should go with her?" Jesse asked softly.

"And do what? There's no place for me over there. It wouldn't matter…not with all these gangs around us that know who we are. I…we…we have things we need to do anyway."

"Like what?" She swallowed all the anger and hatred rising up from her heart and slowly clenched her fists as the bile rose and her body tensed. She shook her head and moved past Jesse.

"We're going to flush out that asshole. Beck…His time is up, and there are a couple ideas I have for getting him out in the first place." Her face scrunched as her eyebrows fell, slanting in at the middle and forming a wrinkle between them. "He may think he's won, but just because he gained the police doesn't mean the Knights are gone."

"Trina, I don't…" She twisted around, raising her voice slightly as she looked into Jesse's concerned gaze.

"I am _not_ leaving. I have nowhere to go, literally. Beck's still out there, Wesley's out there, all the small gangs would probably like to tear us both apart, so even if I left they'd still come after me, you, Tori…I'm not letting that happen. I'm _not_ losing someone else! The more I struggle, the more I fight what's wrong, what's right, the more I try to get out…the more it pulls me back in. I'm putting my foot down now while I still can."

"Okay." He smiled back at her and nodded. "If it's what you want to do, we'll do it." Beck, and his Scrapperz would fall. Trina was no longer willing to let the maniac run things, to control her from afar.

* * *

Tori is gone for now, but not for good. She'll come back to LA, but under different circumstances. Now it'll be between this and the next chapter or after the next chapter (probably will be after the next) that I'm going to have to put in a small mini arc for you guys. Probably will be two or three extra chapters, so I'll be working on those. Tell me your thoughts on this.


	42. Taking a Chance

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N: So here's where I've decided to input things. I may rewrite a few things in the chapters I've already done (including a big thing coming up). Given something in the future, I guess it would make sense to focus more on that attraction element, to also get the readers to feel a little more emotion as well. I never like romance much (which is why couples are already together most times in my stories) and in something like this there doesn't seem much room for it, but I'll give you a little bit of that growth. I guess, sometimes, it is needed.

* * *

Chapter 42 (Take a Chance)

Blindfolded, Trina let Jesse guide her through the park, her hand rested gently in his and his other hand was guiding her from the back. "Where are we going?" She'd spent a couple days holed up in her room at the mansion, hardly speaking to anyone, even Jesse. He finally coaxed her into coming out for some surprise. "I don't like surprises."

"I think you'll like this one. It isn't much." They stopped moving and Jesse released her. She heard a scoff from a familiar voice, Roger.

"Not much? We spent all night the last four nights getting this thing set up to put here. It wasn't easy to convince the park people either!"

"Hush," Jesse remarked with a quiet tone, "I'm trying to be relaxed here." Unable to stand anymore, Trina reached up and started to remove her blindfold. When she did, she saw a marble stone bench with a stone base that formed a rectangle around it. At first it didn't seem like much, but in the middle of the bench was a bust of large hawk with its wings spread, her father's favorite animal. Her hands moved to her mouth, cupping over a sharp gasp as tears formed in her eyes.

"Oh my god." Just beneath the hawk was a golden plaque commemorating her father. Roger stood behind the bench and motioned to the plaque, signaling her to read. "In honor of Chief David Vega…forty years of service, and nineteenth generation law enforcer. Never has there been a greater officer, or a greater father. May he forever watch over us from the skies…" Her hands slipped over her beating heart and her eyes turned to Jesse, she couldn't believe he did this or that he'd even take the time to. "Jesse? You put this up?"

"Well, not on my own. I had help from Roger and many other connections." He pushed his hands into his pockets and looked to the bench. "I know what your father meant to you. He was a good man, a good father, and one hell of a police chief. He deserves to be remembered."

"It's official," Roger teased, "Jesse has gone soft." Trina watched Jesse's cheeks turn red and he shot the man a quick glare.

"I have not! I'm just not completely made of stone."

"Right. Well, that isn't the extent of the stuff he's had us do." Trina raised an eyebrow as Roger pulled out a manila folder, smirking at Jesse. "Here's another gift to you-"

"Give me that!" Jesse snatched it away and Roger started to chuckle. "So, with a cliché 'that's not all', I had some of our more career oriented members do some research…" Trina took the folder carefully and opened the package, gazing nervously at the papers. When she removed the documents, she was struck speechless, in awe of what appeared to be a detailed ancestral heritage. "Did some genealogy research, you've got a great background." He pointed to the very bottom of a digitally printed family tree to where Tori and Trina were. "Your sister's going to make the 20th generation law officer one day, it would seem."

"My god…" She struggled to contain her excitement and wonder over the research he'd done. He dated it so far back to near medieval times where they worked for the famous King Ferdinand and his Queen Isabella as one of their top knights. "Heh, I come from knights. That is amazing."

"It was fate, I guess." Fate, destiny, whatever it was that all this was she could hardly care. She was beside hers elf with excitement.

"I-I'm amazed you would go through all this for me-or for my dad even." Hell, she was pleased by it too. "I think Dad would be happy." With that, Roger walked away to leave the two alone. They sat carefully on the bench, and she felt of the hard but cold marble.

"He raised a beautiful daughter and a good family." She wasn't sure how to thank him, or what she should say. Instead of struggling to find her thoughts, she leaned over and hugged his neck. He hugged her back, gently rubbing he arm.

"It means a lot you'd do this." No one had ever gone out of their way to do something so big of a task, so that was another impressive matter to think about. She leaned back, slipping her hands upwards to his shoulders and gazing into his eyes. "Why would you do it? I mean…I don't know what I mean."

"I wanted to." He shrugged and looked towards the hawk statue. "I wasn't sure if it was too soon for it, but it had to be done." Her heart skipped a beat as the heaviness of her sorrow seemed to lift.

"I hardly want to think about Beck right now, but…if it wasn't for him m dad would still be here." She looked to her hands resting on her knees and narrowed her eyes. "I blame myself, I should have seen it was Grace. I should have known it was her."

"The fact is you didn't know. It isn't your fault, Trina."

"No, it's Beck that's at fault." She closed her hand and bowed her head, sneering as the wind blew her hair in front of her. "He killed my family, he deserves to have his family taken away too! The whole lot of them." Jesse leaned to the right a bit, humming as he hung his elbow over the top of the bench.

"Not sure."

She snapped her gaze over to him, growing weary from all her anger towards Beck and the Scrapperz. "Why not? Why not give him what he gave to me and my sister?"

"Grace, I can understand. She is the one involved, the one that pulled her trigger, and we'll deal with her. The remaining Scrapperz leaders will be dealt with accordingly, but the rest of his family are innocents. Their only guilt is association. They don't deserve death, and I don't think your father would think for you to go on a killing spree because of him. Not where innocents are concerned."

Her hand uncurled and her body began to relax as she thought on his words. David would hate for her to kill Beck's father or other relatives. The only one necessary was Grace, who was at risk of being free anyway. With a defeated scoff, she looked away and started to smile. "I hate when you're right."

"I've been in this a long time. It's never easy to make those decisions. Sometimes you have to though." Trina fumbled for words and slowly rose to her "Sounds good to me. I know a good trail through the park."

"Good." It was a new park, different from the one where Sinjin had been shot. She still feared if Beck feet. She felt like walking around for a bit.

"Let's walk."

would jump out on them, but at the same time, she could not fear all parks for the rest of her life. However long, or short, that may be at this rate. "We're in our own territory, right?"

"Yes.'' It was difficult to have to think about the gang every time they were out and about, but she understood why they had to. Trina walked to his right and glanced over to study his posture. He was relaxed, which was completely strange considering how tense he was usually. This meant he was comfortable, not worried about his surroundings. "We've got the gang surrounding the park right now."

"Oh?" She followed him onto the trail and looked over her shoulder. "So are we being followed right now?"

"Shouldn't be." He took out his phone and showed her the navigation map. Roger's name was positioned on a dot over a certain area of the park while Jesse's dot was moving along a small trail. "Roger's able to track me if something goes wrong. If something does, I've got him on speed dial. If he notices a call from me, he knows something's up and he needs to get here."

"Good thinking. So what if we stop walking?"

"He won't come by unless I signal."

"I prefer privacy, yeah, but this is good." He must have been thinking about what happened with Sinjin, or with Sasha, maybe both. Not even Beck would be stupid enough to show up to a Knight's territory packed with this many people. Although, she was perhaps not giving him enough credit, Beck did seem smarter than he appeared to be. "Though, I wish we could do something without having to think about the gang. Scrapperz, Cravens, whatever they are…"

"Yeah, and I'm pretty well recognized. I can't even go to another state without some gang leader noticing who I am." There it was again, she couldn't help but wonder what he had done to gain such notoriety among out of state gangs.

"Why is that?"

"Well for one, the Knights do have small outlets in other states that I've visited." He looked up to the sky and hummed in contemplation. "I also may have pissed off some gangs. You'll notice I have a bit of a 'proper' streak that Roger calls it. When I was with Sasha, she wanted to do the right thing most of the time, and as such, the Knights kind of became like a community. I'd take people in and give them a chance, a lot of people left other gangs to join the Knights-that being said, I'm pretty much hated all over." Trina smirked at him and folded her arms, teasing him with her gaze.

"Sounds like Roger's right, Sasha softened you up didn't she?" He bowed his head and chuckled nervously.

"Yeah he's always mocking me. It's in good fun though, Roger and I have had a good friendship for many years." Her eyebrows drifted up and Jesse looked to her with a subtle smile. "When you've got someone that you know has your back, things are a little easier to deal with."

"True. I had a best friend years ago, Lindsay. She was a good person, moved away when I was seventeen, though. I miss her. Then again, I find myself missing a lot of people these days. Sometimes I wonder if I'm cursed."

"I doubt it, or else all of us would be. The worst thing we have to deal with is all the shit that goes on in our lives, and trying to rise above it." Trina hooked her thumbs into her belt and lifted her shoulders while taking in a deep breath.

The trail they were on grew very scenic and the trees along either side rose covered them like a canopy. There was a river running along to the right, and leaves were being blown about.

Eventually they came to a spot on the trail that had a Cliffside fall which met with a giant lake. She stepped up on the edge and grinned down at the sunlit waters as the wind lapped the waves to form a rippling effect. "It's really a beautiful sight." Jesse looked from her to the lake, holding his gaze for a moment before returning to the lake and emitting a soft chuckle.

"Yes. It really is." Trina looked across to the other side, frowning when she saw two people walking along, reminding her once more that the gang was scattered throughout the park.

"_Still_ would rather not be around the gang or thinking about gangs." Jesse walked up to her side and exhaled slowly, nodding in response.

"I agree."

"Do you think Roger or anyone else in the gang know that we-um…" She met his curious eyes and felt a sudden shifting in her heart while heat suddenly overcame her. Her voice lowered and his eyebrows slowly drifted up. "We kissed a couple times…"

"I don't think so, I've not told anyone."

"What is there between us?" She looked away after her blunt question. A wrinkle hit between Jesse's eyebrows and he straightened himself upright, his chest puffed out slightly and his broad shoulders seemed to rise.

"I'm not sure."

Did she want there to be something? She didn't know for sure, but she couldn't deny that there was an attraction. "Is it a bad thing…to be attracted to somebody else?" Didn't they already have this discussion?

"Not that I know of."

"Maybe it wouldn't hurt to see…" She had to allow these feelings that she had to take form in whatever direction they were going, because holding them all in was impossible. At the same time, she was frightened to death that she could feel anything for someone other than Sinjin. She had to change the subject, fast! "You know…Dad would be happy to know you set something up for him back there. I appreciate it."

"Glad to hear it." She turned towards him, tucking her lip upwards as she studied his confident posture. His eyebrow arched up. "Something on your mind?"

"What are the chances we can ditch the gang for the day? Just…you know, get away for a while." It was a lot to ask, she knew, but she was going insane! "I don't feel like there's any privacy."

"You realize that if we just take off, Roger's going to be calling constantly, right?"

"He has had poor timing lately…"

Jesse snickered and moved his hand over his chin, "Well, you'd like some time not having to think about all the shit going, and to be away from the gang a while. I could arrange that…"

"Would you? I'm stressing out."

"I _do_ have a couple tickets to that theme park over in Hollywood Plaza…" Her heart jumped up and her jaw fell as shock rose up within her. The only amusement park was that expensive Trenten Amusement park. She'd often wanted to go when she was younger, but her family could never afford it, and some of the things there were a little too big for her at the time. How and when had Jesse taken the time to get tickets?

"How? When? I don't understand-you can afford it?"

"I afford a lot of things. I've kind of been sitting on the tickets a while now…Trying to figure out whether or not you'd want to go." He lowered his arms and exhaled slowly. "And if I should ask."

"Why would you think of whether or not to ask?" There was a pause on both sides as she contemplated this question, then it struck her. Was he suggesting a date? Was it too soon? Neither of them dated since the loss of their last loves.

It would only be a date, it wasn't like they had to acknowledge it as anything more, but what if it became something more? Could she let it?

"Jesse, I…I wouldn't have a problem with it if it was a date. I would love to go there." He didn't make an attempt to deny it as one, but he seemed just as nervous and unsure as she was.

"If it's too soon-"

"It's not. It's worth it to try and see if maybe there's something there." The thing was, she did think there was, she was just scared of it. With him, it seemed okay to pursue and find out how things would work out. "Plus, I've been wanting to go there since I was a kid, never could afford it."

"So then, it's a date?"

"Are you actually _nervous_? That seems unlike you." He rubbed his neck and chuckled while turning away.

"I'm not nervous. I never get nervous." She rolled her eyes and walked past him, smirking in reply. Jesse ran his hand through his hair and followed after her. It felt good to be the confident one for once, despite neither of them being that confident as they were terrified in the moment.

* * *

Well this ought to be interesting, and a bit intriguing. A day to not worry about gangs whether theirs or rivaled. So long as Wesley and Beck and various small gangs are out of sight then things should be fine.


	43. Date Away from the Gangs

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 43 (Date Away from the Gang)

Trina walked through the entrance of the theme park with Jesse and practically fainted from all the excitement and nervousness that she felt. The park was crowded with people young and old. The laughter and the noises of the rides roaring through the air pleased her ears as the smell of park food drifted to her nostrils. She took it all in and smiled over to Jesse, who was watching her jubilant reaction with amusement. She cleared her throat and pointed to his pant pocket that held the phone. "So how much does Roger know about this?"

"He knows that you and I are here. That's about it." Likely if Roger wanted to figure it to be a date he could and would. It was better that he knew they were there just in case they needed him. Jesse looked towards a large carousel, then towards some people walking by. "So this is your day to rest, no thinking about the Knights, the Scrapperz, Cravens or any other gang out there. Stress free."

"Sounds good to me." She was more than willing to free her mind of all that stress and nonsense. All it did was make her depressive and tear her apart. "Did I say how much I appreciate this?" He chuckled and began to walk, she followed quickly after.

"Only about seventeen times, and yes, I counted." She stretched her arms out above her head and let out a small grunt as she leaned to the right. Her eyes drifted to the source of whimsical music on a stage. Her eyes dazzled and as she hurried over towards a waist high fence and leaned over it, looking to the stage with musicians playing.

Jesse stepped beside her, watching the musicians with a subtle smile. Trina flashed him a grin. "This is what dreams are made of." He raised an eyebrow and closed his eyes.

"Did you just rip off Hilary Duff?" She flipped her hair over her shoulder, cackling at him. She hadn't felt like this in too long, but for once she could let loose.

"I don't know what is stranger. That you caught the reference or you actually have listened to Hilary Duff." His face turned red and he quickly protested.

"_Some_ of her songs are 'okay'." He leaned up against the fence and crossed his arms."I admit to nothing."

"Yeah, yeah, you have to keep up the tough macho guy appearance, I got it." She rolled her eyes and playfully smacked his chest. He let out a soft grunt and smirked into her eyes.

"Well I'm guessing you're not going to let it happen?"

"Nope. Not today." She took his hands and walked backwards, pulling him with her. Her eyes drifted to a rollercoaster in the distance and her lips formed a smirk as she pointed out to it. "We're riding that ride. Now." His eyes moved over to the ride and he began to pale.

The ride in question was incredibly fast, they sat in hanging seats which _spun _around the track multiple times and then proceeded to do so in four consecutive loops. At one point it went straight up, then fell back down, continuing on the trek until it safely reached the launch area. The ride was appropriately named _Adrenaline Rush_.

"You have _got_ to be kidding. On the first ride? Not like the fifth-six-maybe eleventh?"

"That is the most famous ride in the park, or one of them anyway. We are so riding it now, _before_ we eat." Jesse moved his hand to his stomach and began to groan as Trina led him to the ride. "You got jitters or something there, Jesse?"

"Nope. If you want to ride it, fine."

Once through the line, which lasted nearly twenty minutes, they were strapped into the first row of seats. She had to be in the front, ever since she was a kid, she rode in the front of roller coasters and whatnot. Granted these were cheaper theme parks, none of them nearly as exciting as this one. She gazed at Jesse, bemused at his quivering. He was glancing all around him and feeling the chest lock, though grasping it firmly.

The metal gears shifted and a great rumbling erupted from the ride. Jesse's eyes widened and Trina leaned into him, lowering her voice into a whisper. "This is the fastest ride in the park, the longest and one of the highest."

"Oh…So it starts out slow like any other rollerco-" There was a loud noise like a hammer striking iron, and Trina lifted her arms up as the ride took off like lightning. "Oh shit!" As he screamed, she laughed frantically.

After the ride, Trina hopped off feeling amazing as adrenaline rushed through her veins. Jesse, on the other hand, stumbled over to a nearby gate and leaned over it, groaning loudly. She laughed and walked over, gently rubbing his back. "See. It wasn't so bad, Jesse." He glanced at her, chuckling nervously.

"Speak for yourself. I'm just glad I didn't have anything to eat yet-it'd be all over the place right now." She laughed once more as Jesse looked down at his pants. "Oh good…I'm still dry after that."

"Not for long." She tucked her hair back over her ear as she studied a red and black building in the distance. Jesse's face grew dull as he slowly turned to her. She recognized the building from the website, it was one of those long rides that told a bit of a story as they went through various parts.

"What?"

"Guess what we're going to do next." He followed her look to the building and chortled as she started walking. "_The Pariah_."

"The what now?" He followed after her, still studying the building. She turned around, walking backwards as she was certain not to run into anyone.

"It tells a story and it's in parts. The first part of the ride is almost like being thrown into the back of a car. You're put into the vehicle and plunged into total darkness, unable to see anything as the ride goes through various twists and turns." Jesse began to turn green as Trina turned to move forward. "Then you end up stopping in the second place where you need to move onto a boat, in which the ride becomes like a water ride."

"What happens there?"

"Another obstacle course that would mimic a speedboat race…with everyone strapped in of course. Anyway you run through the water and come to a stop where once again you return to the roller coaster and zip all the way back to the start."

"Oh god…more zipping? I'm going to be sick…"

"You've seen worse than a rollercoaster, right?"

"Yes, but I'm starting to remember why I haven't been on one since I was fourteen." She frowned and watched as Jesse straightened his back and heaved forth a heavy sigh while maintaining a smile as he looked her way. "But let's go on ahead and ride."

"We don't have to if you don't want to."

"No, you want to ride it, and I'm not going to hold you back. Besides, they're fun." She squealed and cupped a hand over her mouth, earning an amused look from Jesse as his lip tucked into a bright smirk. "Adorable."

A blush crept over her face and her eyes shifted towards the right, "Shut up!" He laughed as she attempted to hide her face, embarrassed by how girlish she was acting. "I don't usually act like this."

"Why not? I think it's nice to see a softer side of you." It was only fair too, since she was also seeing another side to him at the same time.

"This is all different for me, just so you know."

"Same here." He moved his hand through his hair and looked over his shoulder. "It's nice not to have to worry about being spotted by another group and just to have fun."

"That's what living is about, having fun. It's easy to forget…" This was among those moments in life she didn't want to forget, and she owed it to Jesse. How was it possible to really feel alive after so much tragedy?

"It is."

She stopped before the building, a sudden yearning in her heart. She looked over her shoulder, studying Jesse for a minute. "Jesse. Let's run away." He blinked slowly, raising his eyebrows. "After today, just flee."

"You know we can't simply do that, right? Believe me, I would love nothing more than to do that, but there's no easy or simple way of doing it short of faking one's own death." She frowned and let her shoulders rise and fall with a heavy sigh.

"Yeah I know."

Jesse walked up to her, placing a gentle hand on her side as he looked reassuringly into her eyes, "Let's not think about it right now. Let's have a good time while we can." Her body relaxed as a wave of warmth flooded her heart. She curled her lips upwards as her heart skipped a beat in her chest.

"Okay." She drew in a sharp breath and tucked her lip under her teeth, anticipating a small kiss. Jesse looked to contemplate the choice as his hand moved away from her. "Jesse?"

"Yes?"

"How long are we going to go on like this? Just caught in these-" Jesse's phone started to ring and the man slowly looked up. With a growl, Trina reached into his pocket, startling him, and tore the phone out. Roger was calling. She tore away from Jesse and moved the phone to her ear. "What is it, Roger!" Jesse's eyes widened and his body relaxed as a chuckle drifted out from him.

"Just checking in on you two," Roger replied in a stunned tone. He was clearly expecting Jesse to reply.

"We're fine, we'll call you if anything happens. Nothing's happening, we're riding the rides and having a good time hanging out here at the theme park. So, without further ado, I'm going to hang up."

"Right. Well then you two stay sa-" She ended the call and narrowed her eyes. It was irritating how often they were interrupted, especially if they were getting close to one another.

"Let's get on the damn ride…" She started to walk onward, still fuming over Roger's interruption. She couldn't really be angry with him for not knowing that they were in the middle of something, especially since his intentions were good.

Stopping at the entrance of the building, she felt Jesse's hand on her shoulder and looked off to the side. "Trina?"

"What?" She turned around and looked up into his soft brown eyes. He tucked a finger beneath her chin and leaned forward. Before she could react, his lips met hers. Her chest rose and her arms slipped around his waist and up his back as his kiss sent a spark through her. When he pulled away, a quivering gasp fell from her lips. Her hands moved to his strong arms and her eyes fixated onto his while her heart began to melt away. "What was that?"

"Thought I'd pick up where we left off before Roger called. Not to mention, I thought perhaps if we don't make it through the ride alive, I should kiss you." He smirked as she took in the cheesy statement with a smile.

"Well…" She exhaled softly and leaned into him, cuddling up into his arms. "It was a nice gesture…and I'm sorry if I don't know what to say."

"Don't have to say anything at all." She felt a chill run down her spine, then quickly shrugged it off to hurry into the building. Jesse followed her inside and immediately pointed to the tunnel the car was sitting on. "We're going in there?"

"Yes. I'm hoping for it to be amazing."

After the ride, Jesse was once again stumbling and attempting to regain his composure while Trina was rearing to go for more. They made their way outside and the first thing Trina saw was a game booth with a giant stuffed bear. She grinned and grabbed Jesse's arm. "Aw Jesse look, it's a bear!" The bear was a brown teddy with a heart in its paws. Jesse's eyebrows rose up.

"You want me to win you the bear, don't you?"

"Oh please?" She looked at him with a slight pout and wide eyes. He studied the game stand carefully, chuckling quietly.

"Ring toss. Can't be too difficult." He removed his wallet and set down a five dollar bill for nine rings. The attendant set down a stack of rings and Jesse grabbed the first.

He had to get three rings to win the stuffed toy. Trina was already well aware that he wasn't going to make it right off the bat, games like these were never easy, but she wanted to see just how far he'd go to win her that bear.

The first toss bounced off the rim and fell to the floor, earning a very shocked expression from Jesse. He tried another, and it seemed to dance on the bottle tops before falling between two. He grumbled and threw another, missing it. "Oh you've got to be joking."

Soon he was down to thirty bucks and only made one ring. Trina sat on the counter and lifted her hands as he flicked his gaze to him. "I'll be your lady luck. You might need some help. You don't have to keep going though, I'm perfectly happy seeing this."

"No, no, you said you wanted the bear..." He narrowed his eyes on the bottles. "And I am going to win you that damned bear if it is the last thing I do." She rolled her eyes and leaned forward, smiling as she watched him toss another ring, groaning in frustration as it fell off again.

One thing could be said, they were making the game attendant very rich, indeed.

* * *

I'd say entertaining too, a nice break from all the action. Let me know your thoughts


	44. Downtime

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N: So since the Mini-arc is just a couple chapters, I'll post those up now. That's this and just two more of those inserts and then we'll swing it back.

* * *

Chapter 44 (Downtime)

Back at the mansion, Trina sat on the couch admiring the brand new Teddy bear while at the same time, teasing Jesse for having spent close to seventy dollars for it. He was sitting in a recliner, his head back against the top and his chest slowly expanding and falling. It seemed he was still processing the expense. "This is the most expensive teddy I've ever seen, Jesse." She smirked at him as he lifted his head. "I thought you should know that."

"Are you happy with it?"

"Very."

"Then it's worth the money." She looked up from the bear and smiled graciously at him. She was impressed with him, considering he never seemed to be the one to spend a ridiculous amount of money on unnecessary items. He curled his hand beneath his chin and studied her for a second. "And before you ask, yes, it is worth it." His arm moved to the armrest and he sat up straight. "Your birthday's coming up, right?"

Trina snuggled closer to the stuffed toy, remembering her old stuffed dog Snowflake. Her chin rested on the head of the bear as she let out a gentle hum and nodded in reply. "Mhm."

"Is there anything you'd like to do that day? I'm pretty sure I can get something arranged." She had to wonder if the gang knew how they were with each other at this point, or if they were trying to keep things just between the two of them. Then again, did it matter? If it did, it could determine what would be happening on her birthday. Though, at the same time, she couldn't fathom any kind of birthday celebration or party now.

"I don't know. Jesse, it would be my first birthday without my family. I may just not celebrate anymore…" The last thing she wanted to do was turn him down if he had something in mind. "I don't want to do anything big, but if you have something in mind I guess we can. Maybe like a dinner date or something?" He tapped his chin in response.

"That could work. Speaking of dating…how was the amusement park? I haven't really dated since, you know, I'm rusty."

"You're doing fine so far."

"So far?"

"Yes." She looked to the bare cushion beside her, feeling a sense of longing stir inside her heart. "Though, the fact that you're not sitting next to me right now may be a little concerning." She smirked knowingly and Jesse chuckled, catching her hint. He rose up and moved beside her. His arm draped around her shoulders and his lips curled into a deeper smirk.

"Better?"

She put her head onto his shoulder, cuddling close to him. "Much better." She had to investigate her heart to know what it was that she felt. She wanted to be with him more every day now, which was scary when she thought about falling in love all over again. At the same time, it wasn't that she could fight her feelings. Rather, she still remained in great confusion, struggling to figure out where exactly her feelings were.

Trina lifted her hand up to toy with his bangs hanging before his eyes. His hair was thick and smooth, and all this time she didn't know what shampoo he used. It smelled like Gilette, but could be Axe, either way it was pleasing to her senses. Jesse leaned backwards and looked inquisitively at her. "What are you doing?"

"Feeling your hair, obviously." She looked back to his slightly longish hair and hummed. "You need a haircut."

"I need a haircut? Is my hair really getting that long?" He swept his bangs back over his head and sighed. "How badly do you think it needs to be cut?"

"Not that badly, though you would look attractive with a buzz cut. Not that you aren't attractive right now." His handsome smirk deepened as he turned his eyes into hers.

"Maybe only one of us can have long attractive hair, then? Is that what you're telling me?" She thought about him with a buzz and locked a smirk onto her face despite that she would rather him have hair that she could run her fingers through.

"Maybe…but maybe I enjoy running my fingers through your hair. Now. You think my hair is attractive?" His fingers stroked her soft hair and his eyes brightened with curiosity.

"Yes. Beauty's on the inside though. It never hurts to look nice outside, but inside is where it counts." His warm eyes seemed to bear down into her soul, moving her to melt into his arms. "You have a lot of that, Trina."

"Me? No, I'm not beautiful…"

"You are beautiful and an amazing woman." Her cheeks grew red as she slowly looked away from him, slightly disbelieving his words. "I don't use beautiful as a light term either, of course, you know nothing is light where I'm concerned." He tucked his hand under her chin and guided her gaze back towards his. "And I've only ever thought one woman was beautiful…"

"Sasha," she breathed out and smiled as Jesse studied her gaze. She was beautiful like Sasha? Was that what he was trying to say. She leaned in slightly and felt a lump forming in her throat. "Jesse. You would…you'd never take advantage of me would you?"

"Of course not. What kind of question is that?"

"I think I was just wondering is all." She moved her hands to his shoulders, feeling a slight pull towards him as she eyed his lips. "I don't know how far we're taking this. Whatever we have-I don't know."

"I think that's why we're going out. To figure out what it is there is between us. Also to learn more about the other person. I'm doing my best, Trina. I'm trying not to hurt you somehow. I don't want to say you deserve someone better than me, but at the same time, I'm trying to be the person you want or need in your life. It's hard for me though."

"I know. We're both a little shut down. I'm trying not to be hung up on Sinjin but it's difficult. Even all this time later, but at the same time, it's easy. I can tell you're afraid of the same thing…"

"There's quite a bit I worry about, and for valid reason." She buried her face into his chest just beneath his chin. Her lips curved up as his arms wrapped around her. "I don't want you to think I don't care about you or that I'm distant, I'm not trying to be." She no longer wished to discuss this matter, for the heaviness she felt in her heart. Truly she was afraid he wouldn't be able to meet her emotionally like she would have wanted him to, though at the same time, she felt he would likely do exactly that.

"Do you think Tori's going to be okay?"

"Strange topic to change to, but yeah, I think your sister will be just fine. Chances are, she'll become even greater of an influence than Mr. Vega himself."

"Dad would be proud of her for that. So would I." She tucked her legs up on the couch and moved her right hand back against his chest, slipping her fingers beneath his shirt collar. How could she feel so secure with him? She didn't understand. "Jesse."

"Yes?"

"I'm scared…"

"Of what?"

"Being stuck in the same place. Never getting out of this life, never living. I don't know what I got myself into, it's just…I thought all I'd do is get revenge for what Ross did-" She scoffed under her breath and closed her eyes. "There's someone I haven't thought about in a while. I've gotten so deep that now there isn't any way out."

Not to mention she was beginning to fall in love with a leader that was known and hated by gangs throughout the country for being so unorthodox. If they got wind of her, which they surely had by now, they'd all gun for her for the rest of her life! "I don't want to die young."

"I'm not going to let that happen. As long as I'm still here, nothing's going to happen to you."

"You're not the only one scared of losing someone, Jesse. I already lost people I care about, we _can't_ stay in this life forever. Maybe Roger has a way? You said nothing short of faking our own deaths would be able to save us, maybe we could fake our deaths?" She hesitated and shook her head at the absurd thought, there was no point in trying to figure it out, escape was futile. Besides, now was hardly the time to think about it when she wanted nothing to do with thinking about gang life. "Never mind. Not right now. I don't want to talk about the gangs right now…"

"What do you want to talk about?"

"Anything!" She flipped over, leaning her back against his chest and pushing her arms into the air. "Hell, you can talk about me for all I care."

"Now there's a tempting thought." He smirked and folded his hands over her waist. Her fingers slid along his wrists as she leaned her head back on to his shoulder. "What is there to say about you? There's quite a bit of topics to choose from, you are a fascinating person."

"I'm not that fascinating."

"Trina you get more fascinating with every day." He kissed the upper back of her head and she let out a gentle exhale. "The fact that you could get me to the point I'm at is amazing. I thought I had pretty thick walls there."

"Nothing's thick enough to keep me out. Remember that."

"Oh I will." She'd built her own wall up pretty sturdy too, but he seemed just as easily to tear through that than anything else.

They sat there in silence for some amount of time, just choosing to be together than anything else. Their time together was only interrupted by the sound of the doorbell, annoying both of them as there was only one person they could think of that would dare to interrupt them. "I swear Jess, if that's Roger, I will scream."

"Not surprised." She sat up impatiently, letting him get up, then fell back onto the couch with a loud groan. Her forearm rested over her eyes and she breathed slowly until she heard the door open, followed by Roger's voice, to which she groaned again.

"Am I doing something wrong?" Roger asked once again, "I seem to be pissing you guys off lately." He looked from Jesse's annoyed expression to Trina on the couch, then smirked teasingly. "Though I have to admit, it's kind of amusing. Where'd the bear come from?"

"Jesse won it for me." Trina sat up and grabbed the bear. "So what are you doing here?" Roger stepped inside and Jesse closed the door.

"Wanted to know how you guys enjoyed your day. I guess pretty well?" He looked to Jesse with a teasing smirk growing on his face. "So should I expect children sometime soon?" Jesse coughed and Trina began to blush. Roger already saw through them? Seriously?

"We haven't and aren't planning on doing anything involving sex. Roger."

"I know, I know, but it's nice to see you two getting a chance to enjoy yourselves." He crossed his arms and rolled his head to the right. "So what else is new? I know where Beck's remaining leaders are, and I know where Grace is going to be. If you put a hit out, I can get them."

"Do that, but we're trying to not think about the gangs right now."

"I understand. You two need your downtime." She was not ungrateful for him checking up on them after their first official date, bus she still wanted to be cuddling with Jesse, not talking to Roger. "I did have a couple things I wanted to discuss, but I'll just go." Before they had a chance to protest, he was gone.

Trina looked over, meeting Jesse's eyes with a subtle smile as he walked to her. She stayed laying down, choosing not to get up. He raised an eyebrow and smirked back at her. "Not moving?"

"Nope." She put her hands behind her head and let her eyes drift to his lips. "Maybe for a kiss…then some cuddling?"

"If you wish." She took a deep breath as he leaned over her, putting his palms on the sofa with her head in between his hands. A lump formed in her throat as he lowered himself, kissing her lips with deep passion. Her arms moved around his neck, pulling him down.

This wouldn't go far, it would simply stop at the kiss. She much preferred cuddling to anything else, and Jesse was great for that.

* * *

Ah Roger, always on top of your game. No, don't expect children, Roger. For we all know children aren't planned.


	45. The hitman's Job

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N: Because of the action, this chapter is going to be in the perspective of another character. As you know, the bosses rarely do the fieldwork in a gang, unless they have to.

Extra A/N: By the way this is one of the pre-dating chapters that I already had written-formerly 42. This is a good opportunity to interject this now to sort of put it into Trina's and Jesse's mini arc. Enjoy.

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Chapter 45 (The Hitman's Job)

"I have to do both jobs? You've got to be shitting…" Roger had been complaining for most of the drive, though he wasn't one to complain much when things needed to be done. His three lieutenants were with him in the car, all holding on to their guns. "I wasn't allowed to kill Manuel before, now they want me to waste the guy? Seriously, what took them?" These hits also just _had _to take place on Trina's birthday? Of _course _they did.

"It's better this way," Raven replied. He looked to the Lieutenant at his right and lifted his shoulders. He didn't disagree, that much was true. "Besides, it's about damn time we get rid of these Scrapper rats." Their first job was to intercept Manuel and the two remaining Captains at their base, and blow the place to smithereens. Their next plan, they knew Grace was being released from prison by the corrupt LAPD Scrapperz enthusiasts. It was time to take her out. If losing an underboss and two captains didn't flush Beck out, then losing his Aunt surely would.

A relative for a relative, after all.

"I still think they should find Beck's father and kill him," Yvonne muttered, "Not just wasting his aunt. Trina lost her entire family because of that asshole! You'd think Jesse would care enough to order Beck's entire family slaughtered for her." Roger laughed and Yvonne quickly glared at him. "What's so funny?"

"You think Jesse doesn't care? Damn it, every time I call them, they're doing something. I can tell because of the frustration in his voice." Roger was perhaps Jesse's closest friend, they'd been through a lot together over the years, and could easily tap into what the other was going through. Ever since Sasha died, he knew Jesse had been beside himself with grief. Over time after meeting Trina, there was a gradual change in him. Jesse was becoming a happier person, but yet, he wouldn't open his heart up to Trina for some reason. "He's scared, Yvonne."

"Of what? Trina's just a woman like any other."

"No. I don't think you understand." He looked towards the red light and slowed to a stop. "The fact is, if she were just like any other woman, Jesse wouldn't care about her the way he does. She's different, special. He's not scared of her, the dumbass is afraid to let himself feel something again. You don't see how they look at each other, how they act around one another. Those two need the other, but as long as he's afraid to open himself up, they're never going to be together."

"What's he scared of?" John inquired. "She doesn't feel the same way?"

"She lost her boyfriend eight months ago. He last Sasha almost a year ago. Both of them are probably going to need a little extra time. As for Jesse…" The light turned green, and Roger made the left turn onto Cooper Street. "I think he'd be afraid of falling for someone just to have something happen to them, like what happened to Sasha. He doesn't want to go through that again." The others bowed their heads as Roger locked his jaw and scanned the street carefully, slowing down to the thirty mile an hour speed limit. "And honestly? I don't want to see the guy go through it either. He's my best friend, and half the shit he went through, he didn't show to anyone else. You weren't the one picking his drunk ass off the club floors in the middle of the night."

"Wow…" Yvonne lowered her voice as Raven and John slowly looked over, startled by the admission. "He went through all that?"

"He's a person, not made of stone. Same for Trina-you know how lifeless she looked when she showed up at Hollywood Arts that day?"

"I was there, but I guess I didn't see her. No."

"She was pretty bad off too. Jesse's trying to be there for her, and vice versa, and right now…she needs all the support she can get." He stopped at the curb next to Manuel's home and slowly exited the vehicle. "Grab the explosives out of the trunk, we're putting them around the perimeter of the house. Make sure we're not seen."

"Yes sir." Raven opened the trunk and began pulling out several large bombs. Yvonne and John did the same. "Yeah, he's got a point Yvonne. Jesse doesn't have to kill Beck's family to show he cares. You're thinking too revenge minded, a woman doesn't need all that." Yvonne nodded and crouched low as she started moving with Raven towards the house.

"But if he's emotionally unavailable, what happens? How does she feel? Does anyone know?"

"I don't think anyone does. She's like Jesse it seems, doesn't talk about her feelings much. At least…she didn't with anyone besides Vivian or Tiffany. I stand behind her though, I'd support her no matter what."

"I think we all would. I mean, she may not be making orders or all that, but she's got our respect."

Roger pulled two machine guns from the trunk and started for the door, sighing heavily. He had to provide enough of a distraction to allow his team to set up the bombs. "To hell and back, Jess. To hell and back." He lifted his leg and kicked in the front door. The second it flew open, he shifted his guns towards the startled Scrapperz thugs in the front room. "Hello there. I thought I'd give you a warm welcome that is long overdue."

"Shit!" Before they could get up, he pulled the trigger, yelling at the top of his lungs as the bullets sprayed the room. One gang member rolled out onto the floor and started to lift up with a gun in hand. Roger rolled his eyes and tilted his right hand gun towards the member, slicing him with several bullets.

"Anyone that wants a piece of me. Come and get it! I'll take you all on you bastards!"

Several gang members began running down the nearby stairwell to the left. Roger turned his guns towards them and immediately people began twitching and falling over the rails. "Bring me Manuel! Carlos and Ramón too! I'll tear you apart!" Three gunshots rang out from the kitchen doorway, missing him just barely. He shifted behind the wall and pulled his guns into an upright position, breathing heavily as he watched the inside.

Two Scrapperz thugs stepped out of the kitchen and looked around carefully. His lip curved into a smirk and he stepped back into view. The two gasped at him as he shifted his guns towards them. "This is for Chief Vega and the LAPD! Eat lead! The smell of blood and smoke drenched his nostrils, tantalizing him. "Never forget the Black Knights! We ride, you die!"

"Enough of this!" A voice cried out. "Enough!" He shifted his guns to the stairwell and narrowed his eyes as three men began descending the steps. The man in the middle was a Hispanic male with a balding haircut and a stout figure. Manuel. Carlos and Ramón were beside him, both thin as twigs and with bloodshot eyes. Manuel put his hands up while both Carlos and Ramón held their hands behind their backs. "We surrender to you. Do not shoot any further!"

"That may or may not happen."

"Please. Lower your weapons."

"That _won't_ happen." Manuel rolled his eyes and started to move forward. "Uh-uh!" Roger pushed his guns forward and darkened his glare, leaving Manuel to stop in his tracks. "Not another step further." He studied both Carlos and Ramón, suspiciously eyeing their arms. "Those two, why are their hands back there, huh?"

"Details, who needs them? Let us negotiate."

"I don't negotiate. Period. You'd want to speak to my boss about that, and I'm _pretty sure_ Jesse isn't feeling up to negotiations right now." To his right, he saw Raven crouching beside a bush. She signaled him that all the bombs were set to go. To his left, John and Yvonne were running back around their corner. John mouthed that he had thirty seconds before they all went off. "Well…I might be _open_ to suggestion."

"Okay, okay…" Manuel exhaled slowly and extended a hand. "Just please set your weapons on the ground."

"You first."

"What?"

"You heard me." He swayed his arms out, pointing each gun to Carlos and Ramón. "You think I'm an idiot?" Manuel narrowed his eyes and started to spout off an order, but before he could, Roger shot out their legs and turned to run from the house. The three men called out to him, cursing and promising to tear him apart along with his entire family.

Roger climbed into the car with his three lieutenants and shook his head, "Idiots…The only family I got are the Knights." He slammed on the gas and started driving off. By the time they reached the halfway point to the stop sign, his eyes shifted to the rearview mirror just in time to witness the massive explosion.

Flames shot through the building, turning the base and walls to rubble, causing the roof to collapse down on all that were inside. Some of the bombs had been delayed, causing further damage when they did go off. Within seconds, all that remained of the house was a flaming heap of rubble and plaster.

"Next job's not going to be that easy," Roger muttered. Raven looked at him as though he were crazy, and he curved his lips into a smirk. "What?"

"How in the hell was that _easy?"_

"Okay, I see your point, but still the next job's harder…Think about it."

They arrived at the courthouse where Grace had to be transported out from the jail to the airport, where she'd be flown somewhere overseas. There were police and Scrapperz gang members littering the grounds.

As they drove up, Roger glanced at his Lieutenants, all of whom were eyeing the place with wide-eyed fear. "See? Not easy." They weren't going to strike there, not when there were all these people around. No, they were going to follow the officer with Grace to an alleged drop off point where she'd transfer into another car. When these two vehicles met, that's where they'd have to strike.

"So there's the woman that shot Trina's father," Raven pointed to the door of the station as Roger parked underneath a nearby pine tree. Grace was leaving the station with her head held high and her hands in cuffs with the officer beside her. They were doing this for show, as if transporting the woman to trial or prison. "What happens if they think we're following?"

"We're keeping our distance." At least two car lengths between them and the transport car. That was the plan of action. He watched Grace be guided into the back, then narrowed his eyes as the cop and driver started up their car. "They're on the move. Get your guns ready…"

The drop off zone was in the middle of an alleyway, stupidly chosen as it was in _Knights_ territory. Roger drove up behind a crate, and the four popped out and crouched behind their open doors while watching the officer's car park alongside a second, smaller car.

"Get these cuffs off me now," Grace remarked with an irritated tone. "It's one thing I had to kill that man, it's another I have to be transported in handcuffs if you're not even going to put me through the justice system." Roger rolled his eyes and looked towards a line of boxes close to the vehicles. He motioned for his group to follow and hurried behind the boxes as the officer turned his back to them to unlatch Grace's handcuffs.

"All right Beck," Roger whispered under his breath, "You're going to get yours. This is for Trina and her sister…" He whistled and all four rose up, pointing their Uzis towards the officer, Grace, and the two people standing beside the second car. They targets looked back with wide eyes and the officer reached for his gun. "Bad idea."

Roger pulled his trigger, followed by Raven and the others. The corrupt officer was the first to fall. Grace put her hands in front of her head, screaming as the two remaining men ran for the group, only to be struck by Raven's gun. "Hold your fire!" He ordered. They stopped shooting and Grace stared at them, panting heavily.

"Don't shoot!"

"On your knees!" She put her hands behind her head and dropped to her knees, whimpering as Roger walked towards her. "You thought you were going to escape to another country? You think the city wouldn't demand justice?"

"They'll demand retribution if you shoot me…"

"As if you killing their Police Chief didn't do that already. He died a hero to everyone in this town, you gave the man what he wanted." Roger walked behind Grace and leaned down beside her, pointing to the three gunners in front of her. "How do you want your execution? From the front, or from the back?"

"You're actually giving me a choice?"

"No. See, we know you're Beck Oliver's Aunt, so before I kill you. You're going to tell me where we can find that son of a bitch." She stiffened as he touched his gun to the back of her head.

"I don't know where he's at."

"You better not be lying to me."

"What purpose would I have to lie to you? You're going to kill me one way or another. I don't know where my nephew is."

"Then why did you betray Mr. Vega? Answer that." Grace shut her eyes and lifted her shoulders.

"I didn't want to towards the end. I actually started developing…feelings for the man." He scoffed as she bowed her head and slowly shook her head. "That wasn't in the plans. Beckett only wanted me to lead him on, to kill him, but the longer I was with the man, the longer it took as feelings grew. Then, things went south. Beck informed me I was to kill him that night, or he would destroy everyone I cared about."

Roger raised an eyebrow and resisted an angry scoff. "He would gun down his own family for nothing? Even Holly's death had purpose." That must be where Trina and Beck differed. Where she still retained her guilt, she killed her mother out of anger towards the woman's actions while Beck didn't give a shit as to whether his own family died from the sounds of it. "Why would he just do that?"

"Orders, I suppose. Kill me if you want, or you can spare me and I will be forever out of your hair."

"Yes. Orders are orders." He gently set his Uzi on the ground and reached for the holster beneath his jacket. Grace's eyebrows rose as Roger slid a long silver pistol from his holster and pointed it towards her head. "My orders are clear too, and I always follow through. 'Kill the woman who shot Trina's father', that was my order." Grace's eyes began to well up with tears, and her body began to tremble. "Say goodnight, Gracie."

The gunshot echoed in the air and Grace collapsed sideways to the ground. Roger holstered his gun and pulled a pack of cigarettes from his jacket, followed by a matchbook. Once he lit the cigarette, he shook the flame off the match and walked towards the car.

In the car, Raven took out her phone and dialed Jesse. Roger looked to the rearview mirror, watching as police cars drove to the alleyway. "Jesse," Raven began, "Both hits are done. The Scrapperz leaders, and Grace, are dead. We don't know where Beck is, but we suspect he may be making contact soon…"

* * *

Let us all pay homage to the hitman, lest he take us out as well. Quite the chapter, I'd say Grace got what she deserved. though my favorite scene has to be the gunfight with the last of the Scrapperz. Roger. You are awesome.


	46. The Birthday Date

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 46 (The Birthday Date)

"That was Roger?" Trina asked while stirring her spaghetti with her fork. Across from her, Jesse was setting his phone down on the table against the wall. "What did he have to say?" She knew Jesse ordered the hits, but she was trying not to focus on them. This was her day, and he'd brought her to a great Italian restaurant.

Typically she didn't eat spaghetti when out and about, mainly because she could get that anytime she wanted at home, but it came with the meal. Her actual plate was Veal with capers and a white wine sauce. Along with the meal was a glass of Pinot Grigio, a sweet tasting white wine that would be her first legal drink-and was slightly discounted for her 21st birthday. She had not yet tried it.

"Raven. She says both hits are complete. Grace and the Scrapperz." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, taking in the news. It was bittersweet, because she still missed her father of course, not that she thought Grace's death would have brought him back. At least it gave him justice. As for the Scrapperz leaders, she was glad that they were also gone, but nervous still because she just knew Beck was going to pop up some time now. She was still scared of the man, but surely he wouldn't cause too much further issue. "But let's not focus on them today." Jesse sipped his own wine and looked over to her plate. "How's your meal?"

"Really good…I appreciate this, Jesse."

He smiled at her and set his win down beside his plate. "Glad you're enjoying it. Try the wine?" She set her silverware down and glanced over to the glass. She reached over with a tentative grip and lifted it up. "Note, you don't have to drink it like a wine snob, but they might chide you if you don't." He laughed once and she chuckled at the joke.

"I don't know how wine snobs drink it. Is it like this?" She moved her hand under the bowl of the glass and lifted it up to her nose, first taking a smell of the pleasant aroma. Next, she moved the glass to her lips and took a small sip. The sweet flavor embraced her tongue and slid down her throat, leaving an incredibly sweet glaze in its wake. "It's good. I like sweet wine…not that I've had a chance to try anything else."

When she pulled away, she saw Jesse snicker. "That's about right, though I'm not sure about the lipstick."

"Huh?" Her eyes drifted to the rim of the glass and froze in embarrassment at the red lipstick stain she left. A red blush crept over her face and she swiped her silverware. "I should have seen that coming."

"You're fine, people leave stains all the time." He reached for her glass and lifted it up to the light. She smiled as the light reflected off the glass and shone through the clear fluid. Jesse studied the lipstick stain and nodded assuredly. "Yep that's a beautiful stain. It's official, beautiful women beautify everything by leaving their mark."

Her blush deepened and her eyes flew to her plate as she attempted to brush off his cheesy statement. "That's so corny…" It made her feel good though. "Anyway, it's a good wine." He set it back in its place.

"Glad you like it. Though with veal, a red wine or a blush would have been better." Her lip curled into a smirk and she swayed in her seat.

"Who's the wine snob now?" He raised an eyebrow and laughed.

"It's okay, beautiful women have accused me of snobbery before."

"So Sasha thought you were a snob?"

"Sometimes…maybe…" He wagged his eyebrows and returned to cutting up his food. She rolled her eyes and smiled as she watched. The lighting from above mixed in with the navy blue suit he was wearing to this formal restaurant. His chin length hair had been pulled back and tied at the bottom to keep from his face while he ate.

Trina studied his broad jaw movement as he chewed, it was in a very slow up and down motion. With every bite he took, he wiped his mouth with his napkin. It was a good thing he was clean, but it was one of those smaller quirks that could get on someone's nerves despite being able to live with it. She knew the man wasn't perfect, and neither was she, but for some reason she wanted to be with him. Never had she thought she'd fall in love with anyone that wasn't Sinjin, and now she was daring to love someone else? _Jesse?_ Did he even feel the same way about her? She didn't want her heart to break anytime soon, but she was willing to let her guard down for him. At the same, there was the nagging fear that she may lose him if she let herself love him. If she lost him, what would happen?

Jesse's eyes drifted into hers and concern swept over him, "Are you okay? You look like you're upset."

"Not upset. Just thinking…"

"Anything you want to talk about?" She shook her head and took another bite of her meal. The feelings she had for him certainly weren't going away, and she wasn't going to try and push them back anymore. "What can I do to make you happy?"

"I am happy."

"But you're frowning." She closed her eyes, stifling an attempted laugh. "How can I make that smile of yours show up?"

"I don't know. Sit next to me, maybe?"

"Okay." Her eyes shot open just as Jesse pushed his plate forward and moved to her side of the booth. She hadn't meant that to be serious, but she wasn't complaining. He put his arm around her shoulders and she shifted next to him, laying her head on his shoulder. Her heart skipped like a record and a contented breath wafted away from her lips. "Is this better?"

"Yes…I'm very comfortable." She was going to let herself fall, it could not hurt. Could it? "You've been too good to me, Jesse. I don't think I deserve that. Not when I've done things that I know are bad. I don't think I deserve to be happy."

"Everyone deserves to be happy, Trina." He squeezed her shoulder and kissed her left temple. "I've been thinking too, I'm going to find a way to get you out of this life. Once Beck's out of the way, we'll find a way for you to be happy again. You know the things you've done whether they're wrong or right, and you feel remorse. That's all that matters. And, it sounds bad, but I think you've more than paid the consequence."

"Everyone's gone and I don't know the next time I'm going to be able to see my sister. I'm so scared of dying, but I'm also scared of losing you…You're the only reason I'm scared of dying, you know that? Because-I didn't even _care_ if I lived or died, and now I want to live…"

"Then we'll make sure that happens." She moved her hand down to her leg, then shifted it over to his lap where his hand was. She snuggled closer to him and squeezed on his hand, breathing out softly.

"How do you think Roger and the others are going to react to us dating?"

Jesse hummed out his contemplation, then laughed, "I'm pretty sure they already know. Or at least Roger might, that guy knows me pretty well…he's probably figured it out by now."

"He's a good man. You know, Tori found herself a good man. I hope it'll work out for her, she's been though a lot of dates in her lifetime. Then…" She gently squeezed his hand and slowly looked up to him. Her breath caught in her throat and her chest rose slightly. "I hope we work out too."

"Us?"

"…Yes…"

He smiled at her and leaned over, gently kissing her lips. When he pulled away, they heard a gasp from nearby. Jesse turned his head and Trina frowned at a small group of three people in purple shirts and red jogging pants. She recognized the colors as a small time gang called the Barbs. These were a part of the group that gunned down Sasha so long ago.

"Oh my god, Jesse Klein has a new woman?" One of the trio muttered with wide eyes. The man that spoke appeared to be the leader, he was the tallest and most confident looking one. She lifted her head as the gang members approached, all sneering at them. "Thought we scared him into hiding…"

"Can a guy not go on a date in peace?" Jesse started to rise up, but Trina grabbed his hand, holding him back. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Look, I'm not interested in whatever your problem is. Why do you people care who I'm with anyway? It's not any of your business."

"Sure it is," the leader remarked, "You don't _get_ to have chicks." Jesse rolled his eyes and looked over to Trina, silently pleading to deal with these three. "Or at least, you don't deserve them." Trina was beginning to grow annoyed and highly irritable with this interruption. Rather than beat the shit out of them on the spot, which would get her and Jesse kicked out of the place, she raised her hand up and called for the nearest server. The gang members jumped back and tensed as the server walked up, eyeing them as he spoke to her.

"Is there something the matter, madam?"

"Yes, these three people are bothering us and making threats." The men scowled at her as the server turned to them.

"I'm going to have to ask you to leave. If you don't, I'll have security escort you off the premises." The men groaned and pointed to Jesse.

"This isn't over, asshole."

Jesse heaved a heavy sigh and shook his head. He muttered under his breath, "Sometimes I'm afraid it never will be." Trina crossed her arms and looked over, raising a curious eyebrow, speaking only when the server apologized for the disturbance and walked away after ensuring they didn't want any compensation.

"What was that about?"

"Another reason other gangs and their leaders all want me dead, probably Beck included since technically we just did the same thing to him." Jesse forked a bite of his food.

"What do you mean?"

"Before I ever met Sasha-and she _was_ one of the women, and only one I ever dated-I would see how fellow gang members and their leaders treated their girlfriends. Abused, beaten, and so on…" He pushed his food into his mouth and chewed slowly. Trina's body relaxed and her lips fell into a frown. "Most people shouldn't get involved, and I knew I shouldn't, but I couldn't stand seeing a woman smacked around and mistreated."

"That explains all the respect towards women the Knights have…" He swallowed his bite and took a quick sip of his wine.

"Of course. I would help these women escape, either sending them off somewhere safe-letting them join the nights-or even going so far as to put out a hit on the guy abusing her. Sasha was…" He closed his eyes and pressed his lips thinly against each other. "Her first gang was _not_ the Knights."

"No?"

"The gang responsible for her death…she was a part of them for a couple weeks. Forced into it by the gang leader-her boyfriend…At first she was just another woman I wanted to save from them." Trina nodded, understanding the situation. She glanced to the windows of the restaurant to see the three men standing outside. It was tempting to call Roger, to have him protect Jesse. She could see what was coming.

"So you did?"

"Well, the thing is, we hit it off." He wiped his mouth and glanced out the corner of his eyes at the same window, narrowing them at the men. "She wanted to see more of me, I wanted to get to know her. I asked her permission to put out a hit-and Roger executed, killing the gang leader. But because I started dating her, it was kind of that last straw to all gangs out there that knew what I was doing, they warned various gangs and I pretty much became public enemy number one. So…"

"You're afraid they'll go after me?" His silence answered her question, sparking a bout of sorrow in her for the moment. She now knew how difficult it must be for him to not only move on, but to date under risk of gangs retaliating for their own vengeance. "Jesse…"

He closed his eyes and reached for his drink. "One reason I think Beck is so hard pressed against us is not just because the Knights are one of the stronger gangs out there but because we _did_ just send his girlfriend away."

"So? He only thinks I did it. Not you."

"It won't matter. It won't matter until I'm-"

"Don't fucking say it." She pulled out her phone, muttering as she dialed up Roger. Jesse raised an eyebrow and waited patiently as she put the phone to her ear. Roger answered on the third ring, seemingly surprised to be the one being called. "Roger. The Barbs gang found us, they seemed threatening and are standing outside the restaurant. We need some help in case they do something…"

"I'll send for you guys," Roger replied.

"We're not done eating, and I'm not letting some small time, fucked up gang ruin our dinner. Send guards, as many as needed, and scare these bastards off!"

"On it." She hung up the phone as Jesse gave her an amused look. She closed her eyes, forked her food, and mimicked Jesse's calm chewing.

It did not take long for Roger and his crew to tend to the situation. The three gang members had been watching them through the window for ten minutes and were jumped from behind, then promptly dragged off.

Several Knight guards did stand post around the building, none needed to enter. This was satisfactory, leaving Trina with a blissful feeling of being with Jesse without worry. "Another successful date?" She smiled at Jesse who simply shrugged and smiled back at her.

"I'd say so." He gave her a chaste kiss on the lips and returned to his food. She hoped to have plenty more dates with him after this, despite still trying to figure out exactly how she felt towards him. So long as no one interrupted them again, and she had her time with him, and that was all that mattered.

Nobody could bring her from her high at this point. Not the Cravens, and certainly not Beck.

* * *

So a little insight on why the gangs don't like Jesse, but nothing to worry about here. Looks like they had a nice dinner for the most part. Now we're going to be seeing Beck soon.


	47. Negotiating with the Enemy

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 47 (Negotiating with the Enemy)

"I don't know what you did but the Scrapperz are weak now!" Wesley cheered. He'd called Jesse and Trina over to celebrate, but neither were in the mood for celebration. Trina could only glare at Wesley, pondering how to take out whatever was left of the Cravens. To finish her father's work. "Now we can work to rebuild our ranks, to become strong once more."

"Beck is still out there," Jesse looked away, bored with the man. "We're only here because you wanted to negotiate peace. Something like that." He waved his hand in the air while Wesley turned to him, nodding happily. Trina felt a strange feeling that they weren't alone, and she knew the captains were waiting for them outside on the chance Wesley may try anything. "It has been a couple weeks now, sure…but we know he's out there."

"The point is, Scrapperz are leaving _my_ gang!" Wesley still hadn't rebuilt his gang. All that was left was Dmitri, Marvin, and the one captain, Eric. "Jesse, I'm proposing we unite our gangs into one, we become powerful."

"I still find it funny that you're begging me for help. You've rejected the Knights when they needed help, you rejected Sangre when they were in dire need of help, and now _you're_ the one in dire straits." Jesse tapped his fingertips together and closed his eyes. "In all honesty, why do you think I would want to help you?" Wesley narrowed his eyes. The man shifted his gaze to Trina, then back to Jesse with a sly smirk.

"Because if you don't, my men will kidnap your women and use them for sex." Jesse opened his eyes and began to tense up with anger. Trina seethed at Wesley, watching him point to her. "Starting with her. So if you don't want me to order-"

"Okay, I've had enough of this…" Jesse put his hands to his armrest and pushed himself up. Almost immediately, Trina felt all the energy in the room begin to grow heavy and center around Jesse. She lifted her eyebrows as the man walked towards Wesley. "You like to make remarks about the women in my gang? Fine. You like to disrespect women, go ahead. I've put up with your disrespect, she has put up with your disrespect for long enough…"

Almost instantly, Jesse's hand latched onto Wesley's throat, clamping down and causing the man to stumble backwards trying to break free. Trina's eyes widened and her heart stopped as Jesse slammed the man into the wall. She began looking around, still feeling like they were being watched, maybe by Wesley's own men. If Jesse continued to attack him, they might retaliate!

"Now you listen to me." Jesse leaned dangerously close to Wesley's fearful, whimpering form. "We will not help you. I don't care about your pathetic, stupid ass threats, but the more you make them, the more it makes me want to kill you." He threw Wesley to the ground, then slammed his foot down on the man's back. Wesley shouted out as Jesse grabbed the man's hair and yanked his head up, facing Trina. "Now. You will apologize to her for your comment. Got it? Then we will leave you."

"F-F-Fuck you!"

"Wrong answer." Jesse slammed Wesley's head into the floor, and blood shot out from the man's nose. "You might think I've lost it, but I haven't yet. I'm still _calm_, focused, and I know you have guards posted behind the basement door…I saw it shut when we entered." Trina twisted around, staring at the door behind her. "You thought you were going to ambush us?"

"Damn you…"

"That basement has windows at the top that lead outside, correct? In which case, my captains have likely gotten in by now. Their Lieutenants are also searching around the house and getting inside other rooms." Jesse smacked Wesley's head back to the floor and narrowed his eyes. "I'm not an idiot like you, Wesley. If you wanted to get to me, you'd have to do a lot better than that. Like, oh I don't know, pissing me off to the point I lose focus? There's a reason I'm more patient than I am vengeful. I like to retain my focus on things."

They heard gunfire ringing out throughout the house. Wesley screamed out in anguish as blood began to flow through the crack under the basement door. "Fine, I will not ask for your help anymore. Jesus! Call off your men, Jesse! Do it now!" The door flew open and Roger stepped over a fallen body. The nearby kitchen door opened as well to show Raven stepping out with Travis. Rachel ended up running from the hallway, close to where the bedroom was, firing off her own weapons. "Goddamn it! Call off your people! Do it now!"

Jesse flexed his arm and grabbed Wesley's hair once more, tearing his head up from the ground, causing the man a great amount of pain. "Not until you apologize to her for your snide remark." Trina crossed her arms and stared at Jesse, she was a tad annoyed with this, but at the same time she was grateful for him looking out.

"I _can_ handle myself," She replied in dismay, "I'm not offended by him because he doesn't scare me." She walked around the hair and crouched down, looking Jesse in the eyes and giving him a slight smile. "I've never seen you this worked up before, Jesse. I'm surprised in you." She put her hand over his in a gesture she hoped would cause him to relax. "Let the dumb bastard go. He's nothing but a pig that knows how to make idle threats that mean nothing. Makes him a shitty enemy too."

"How so?"

"Because an enemy that wants to get us to comply would have to threaten something that we actually cared enough about." Trina looked down to Wesley and tilted her head. "For example, Wesley looks like a guy that values all the expensive furniture in his house, am I correct?" Wesley's eyes widened and he quickly looked up to Trina.

"W-W-What are you doing?" He began whimpering as Trina walked over to Wesley's giant flat screen TV. "Hey don't you touch that!"

"Don't touch it?" Trina slid her fingers along the top of the television and began to smirk. "No Wesley. I'm going to smash it. I'm going to find all the expensive vanity mirrors in your house and destroy them. Then I'm going to tear up every priceless artifact you have in this house." Jesse stood up and Wesley flipped onto his back and sat up, shaking his hands and protesting.

"Wait! No!"

Trina grabbed a remote from the TV stand and began flipping it in her hand. "Here's what I want, Wesley. I want you to leave the Knights alone. Jesse will not help you, there's no reason for us to help you, so we want you to quit asking. You will never receive our help, because we hate you. It's the simplest, most honest answer I can give you."

Wesley studied her for a minute, then began laughing. "I get it!" Trina raised an eyebrow as Jesse slowly looked towards him. "You're trying to be cute. You think I'm going to take orders from-" Trina stepped in front of the television, clicking her tongue in disappointment.

"Oh Wesley, I'm afraid I was being dead serious." She threw the remote into the television, cracking it and causing Wesley to scream out. "That was the warning toss, or it was going to be just a warning. Now…I'm going to skip over that." She leaned to the right, lifted her leg, and slammed her foot into the screen. Wesley screamed as the television sparked and crashed to the floor, busted and now useless.

"You bitch! That cost thousands of dollars!"

"You can by a simple old television anywhere for cheaper. You'll live, but I want to make sure you're not going to come after anyone in the Knights." She walked beside Jesse and crouched down to Wesley's level. Her fingers slid along his shirt, then his waist, then down between his legs where she grabbed the nearest piece of flesh she could feel and proceeded to crush him. Wesley howled in pain, flailing his arms while the men in the room winced. "Especially the women, am I right?"

"Fuck! Okay! Okay I'll lay off! Jesus Christ!" She pulled her hand away and rose up, smirking at Jesse as she tapped his chin and flashed a wink his way.

"And _that's_ how negotiating with the enemy is done." Jesse's eyes were wide and his jaw had fallen. Wesley was in fetal position, curled up and weeping bitterly. "Now let's go. I'm ready to get back home…"

Once they were back at the mansion, Jesse kept looking at her as though admiring her. Eventually she asked what was on his mind, prompting him to respond. "Just have to say I've never seen you do that. It was-amazing." He smirked and Trina shrugged.

"I've held off long enough. I mean it wasn't pms or anything, that passed a week or two ago already."

"Let us _not_ talk about PMS."

"Fine by me." She laughed at him and slumped into the couch. He sat beside her and hung one elbow over the couch and looked to her as she conversed with him. "Wesley's been pissing me off every time we talk to him. It doesn't help I'm already pissed as it is because of what happened to…you know, my dad…I've had it with all these gangs, Jesse! I've had it with people like Beck, Wesley, all those small gangs out there…Not only is it infuriating but now it just feels like we're trapped with nowhere to go."

"We're not trapped. We'll find a way, I'm sure of it." So long as they had each other, right? Or was it wrong that she still wanted to feel that emotion reciprocated by him. "Though, it still would be easier if-" She rolled her eyes and moved her hand over his mouth, purposely trying to shut him up.

"You sure do get repetitive. I'm not leaving this life if you're going to be stuck in it. Now that Dad's gone…this is all I have. You are all I have." He gently pushed her hand away from him and lifted his eyebrows up.

"You just got through saying you're sick of the gangs."

"I _am_. It's all their fault we're in this situation, Jesse. The Cravens, the Scrapperz…The Bolsheks, Rumos, Gardas, Shooters, and every other tiny gang out there that thinks we can just be walked on. The only reason they don't walk all over us is because of you."

"I don't do much."

"No, but you clearly didn't become the feared leader by doing nothing."

"This is true." She crossed her arms and looked towards the television, sighing heavily as her mind drifted back to her father at the mention of leaders.

"You know, it's still all over the news. What happened to dad. It's also on the news still that Grace was killed, trying to flee the country-apparently. Funny how things work out. Even after all that, Beck still hasn't tried to make contact. Is the guy even alive?"

"Probably."

"And that's another reason I can't leave this life." Jesse frowned as she looked up to him, angry and sorrowful at the same time. "I _do_ want out. I mean, my moral instincts still tell me I'm screwing my life up massively-which I know I am, but the rest of me wants to stay here and finish this. While at the same time-if I leave-I'm scared to death. Beck's out there. He'll find me."

"I thought you weren't afraid of anything."

"I guess I can't be tough _all_ the time." She crossed her arms and bowed her head as her eyes narrowed. "Nothing much scares me, but the last words Beck ever told me still hang in my head…and they made me paranoid, thinking he's watching my every move. The minute I leave the Knights, he's going to get close. He's going to tear me apart. Kill me, if he even decides to kill me first. I'm not so scared of Wesley, of all these other gangs as I am him. I'm terrified. Then-Then I think he's going to go after Tori, or even you. If he gets to you-"

"He won't." She felt his hand rise up to her chin and let him guide her face towards his. Her eyes flicked up to his strong, determined eyes. "I won't let anything happen to you…" She let her gaze fall to his lips and drew a hushed whimper as she leaned forward. "He'll never get to you if I can help it."

"Jesse…" His breath fell onto her face, soothing her. Her body relaxed and her arms moved around his neck as she leaned closer. She wanted him, she wanted to be with him. "I have to be honest. I still…think about Sinjin every day…but at the same time. I want you, I know it's wrong. I don't even know if you really want me or if you're just trying to make me feel like you…" She hesitated and looked up to his eyes, shuddering softly. Her heart began to violently shake within her chest, threatening to tear a hole through her. "-love me…"

"I'm not trying to lead you on."

"We've never really talked about this…" This affair of theirs, if it could be called that, seemed never-ending. She couldn't decide whether it was right to continue on like this or not. "I can't really continue like this, Jesse. You know…you know that…unless you're trying to hurt me, playing with me." He leaned forward, kissing her passionately. Her eyes fluttered down and she moaned into the kiss, shifting her body into his and holding him close.

After several seconds, they pulled apart. He tucked his finger under her chin and gazed into her eyes. "I'm really not trying to do that. I just find it hard to say what I know I should say, what you probably want, or need, to hear. You just have to understand that I want-" Her phone began to ring and she flinched away from Jesse, startled by the sudden noise. Jesse winced as she pulled her phone in her pocket and stared at the caller.

"It says…'unknown caller'." Jesse leaned against the arm of the couch and moved his hand up to his head, silently tapping his fingers. His eyes glared at the phone and his lips were pulled into a slight scowl.

"Go ahead and answer."

"I'm sorry…" She didn't know if it were her sister trying to call from another number, or if it was one of the many Knights trying to get in touch with her. She hated to be interrupted however, and she was still trying to hang onto Jesse's every word, yearning for him to finish. Why was it she clung to his every word like some little schoolgirl in love?

When she put the phone to her ear, the caller on the other end made her blood run cold. Fear shot down her spine as her eyes shot towards Jesse, who immediately looked concerned. "Hello Trina," Beck's voice stung her eardrum. He was speaking in a low, menacing voice. "It's been a while. I was hoping to…negotiate with the Knights…"

"Who is it?" Jesse asked. She pulled the phone away, her heart now flailing inside.

"It's Beck. He's making contact." Jesse leaned forward, his eyes widening. "He wants to negotiate."

"What?!" She put the phone on speaker and set it down to the coffee table. Jesse leaned close, speaking into the phone. "Beck. What makes you think we're willing to negotiate _anything_ with you. We just turned down-"

"Turned down Wesley from the Cravens? Yeah, I would have done that too. He's nothing but a pathetic little wannabe." There was a pause as Trina covered her mouth. Her fear was accurate, Beck had to have been watching. If he knew they were talking to Wesley, then what else did he know? "Anyway, the reason I think you're willing to negotiate is…perhaps I know exactly where you're hiding Tori and Jade." Her heart crashed to a halt and Jesse looked over at her.

Was Beck lying? Did they have proof he was lying? He didn't say he _had_ Tori, he said he knew where she was. _Threaten something they care about_. Her own words ran through her mind, playing and replaying as she thought on Beck. She didn't know if she could take a chance or not.

"Because I know where Tori is, you're going to do this how I want you to. Namely, I want to meet you and Trina…alone…I will not attempt to kill you during the meet, you have my word, I only wish to talk. No guard dogs."

* * *

Damn Beck, of all times to show up again. Well, Beck's finally made himself known, I have to say, I rather enjoyed the bit with Wesley. How about you? What are your thoughts to all this?


	48. So Close, yet So Far

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 48 (So Close, yet so Far)

"Are we really going to do this?" Trina was fret with worry as she watched Jesse prepare his things. The conversation with Beck was relatively onesided with the fear that he may truly know where Tori was, in which case, they had to agree to his terms. Unfortunately he wasn't in LA, he was all the way down at Newport Beach, forty-five minutes away. He wanted them to meet him at his beach house, which wasn't where he lived. According to him, he wasn't dumb enough to divulge that information, but clearly he'd been down there for the last eight to nine months.

"I may have agreed to his terms, but I'm not sticking with them." Jesse tugged on his leather jacket and stretched his arms out as he narrowed his eyes angrily. "I'm going to get Roger to go down as well, not in the same car of course. He'll track Beck from behind after the meeting, we'll find out his location, and kill him. I'm sick of these games."

There was an ominous feeling growing inside her as she watched him, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to go dreadfully wrong. "Are you sure, though? What if he plans something? What if he sees Roger and everything's blown to shit?" Jesse stopped in front of her and moved up close to her, locking his eyes with hers. She glanced down from him as he tucked a strand of her hair between his fingers and moved it back behind her ear.

"I'll be right there, okay? He's not going to get the jump on us. He may think he's smart, and yeah he's eluded us for this long, but the fact that he reached out to contact us means he knows he's losing. He's backed into a corner with nowhere to go, Trina. He's got no further alternatives."

"What if he knows, though? What if he _does_ know where Tori is? If he realizes we've got someone following him…He'll do something to her."

"Something tells me that was just something he was blowing out his ass to get us to agree to all his demands and terms."

"Even Roger doesn't think we should do this." When they contacted Roger about the demands Beck made, the man was adamant that they should have made demands of their own. "Since we're doing this, that means we're giving him control. Or making him think he's got it."

"Trina?" Jesse met her eyes once more and she struggled to turn from him. "Months ago, you would have jumped at this opportunity. Beck put words in your head, made you afraid of him. Don't give him that satisfaction. He can't hurt you, he's not going to hurt you. I'm going to be _right there_. If he tries anything on either one of us, he's dead. Hell, I'd be tempted to shoot him right then and there. I think he knows that's exactly what I would do, too. We need to think on his level."

"Well if we do that, then we have to realize he asked for just me and you. By ourselves. With no one else. That means he's gunning for one of us, or both." Her heart faltered and she moved a steady hand to Jesse's face, holding her breath. "He might try and take you out, Jesse. You're the leader…If he takes you, then the Knights…"

"If he takes me, there's still Roger to take over. You…You should run to Tori."

"You couldn't ask me to do that."

"It will be fine." Trina lowered her hand as Roger guided her to the door. "Beck will not get me. The only way he could get me is if I were impaired. Distracted, unfocused, or even angry. That's the _only_ way, and I've pretty much mastered the art of patience."

"I don't want to think about him gunning you down, Jesse. I really don't even want to come close to that." No, it was still too fresh for her. To see the streams of blood on those leaves, to hold her lover in her arms while begging for life to return to him. She didn't need that to happen, not a second time. "What would I do without you?"

"We're not even at that point, Trina. I will not let Beck get the jump on us, which is why I've stationed Roger for this." She leaned against him and he slid his fingers through her hair while moving his forehead against hers. She closed her eyes, absorbing his breath into her skin. "Everything is going to be fine…" His words were soft and comforting, enough that she believed them to be true and let her body and mind relax. "Don't even be afraid, Trina. There's nothing to fear."

"I…okay. Okay, fine. We need to do this anyway, I can't be afraid of him. That was his whole purpose, I get that, I just…Tell me I'm not going to lose you, Jesse. Tell me that's not going to happen. I have no one else, I have nothing else."

"You will not lose me. If Beck's up to _anything_, I'll see through it. I didn't become the boss for nothing, you know."

"That's what Dad said…but okay. I'm not going to hold us up any longer." She watched him turn and walk to the door, her heart began splitting into shreds. Trina shook away the fear and followed after him. So far Beck had been responsible for much of what she's lost in her life, and she wasn't going to let him be responsible for another thing. "I love you," she breathed out to no one in particular. Her heart slammed in place and she looked up with a whimper at Jesse, who was opening the door. _"No, I can't. I can't. I love Sinjin, only…but…"_ She clenched her eyes and shook her head. Now was not the time for this!

"Trina? You all right over there?" Her eyes shot open and Jesse was looking back at her with concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

The drive to Newport Beach was silent, but beautiful. The sun was setting and there was a calmness that joined the hum of the road, lulling Trina towards sleep. She fought the sleep off the best she could, though.

When they reached the beach, the serenity of the waves lapping on the sand meshed with the gentle gulls crying in the skies. "Why is it so beautiful?" Trina questioned. "For someone so evil to be someplace so beautiful…It doesn't add up."

"I agree, but at the same time, does it matter? It's a beach, beaches are beautiful no matter where you go."

"True." She followed him into a small, unguarded house where Beck was waiting for them at the kitchen table. Beck didn't look too much different, though he seemed to have a permanent scowl etched onto him. His hair was thinner, and his hairline had oddly begun to recede. "Beck, you look…different?"

"It's the receding hairline, I know." Beck crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. "My dad, both my grandfathers, they went bald when they were in their twenties. I'm nowhere near twenty, but I'm already getting the signs. Fucked up, isn't it?" Beck curled his fingers at his lips and studied Jesse with a sharp glare. "So. Jesse Klein, infamous leader of the Black Knights. I have wanted to meet you since I joined the Scrapperz."

"Yeah? I've been hunting your ass for the last several months." Jesse took a seat at the table and Beck motioned for Trina to sit down. "She doesn't have to come over if she doesn't want to."

"Oh, touchy?" Beck smirked as Trina began to feel that empty feeling inside her. She was suspicious of this man more than ever. Beck hung an elbow over his chair and flicked his eyes to her. "I'm sorry about your dad, Trina. Please understand, it was only business. Nothing personal."

"Fuck you." She moved over and sat down beside Jesse, glaring ferociously into Beck's eyes. "Which one of us did you want, Beck?"

"Truth? Jesse. I was hoping to get close. We need to discuss a few things regarding the gangs in LA, and which of us is going to be on top." Beck cracked his knuckles and sighed heavily. "I know you have a problem with negotiation, but you see, I'm not like Wesley. I'll respect women."

"Since _when?_ You're worse than the Cravens in my opinion!"

"Sure. Sure. My gang does dabble in prostitution. The thing is…Jesse. You're an old dog, and as with old dogs, sometimes you have to put them down." Trina's heart pounded and she quickly looked from Beck, to Jesse, who was sneering at the man. Beck leaned forward over the table. "I told you I wouldn't kill you, and I won't." He lifted his hands, then opened his jacket to show he had no weapons. "However I wanted to ask that you step down. Disband the Knights. You know that even if you didn't, all those smaller gangs are following in my footsteps." He moved his hands behind his head and curled his lips into a deadly smirk. "They'll kill you even if I don't."

"Small gangs don't phase us," Jesse remained calm and patient as ever. His eyes scanned the perimeter and Beck merely laughed.

"Are you looking around for signs of an ambush? I keep my word, and I mean what I say. If I wanted to kill you, I would have done so already."

"You're not a man to trust."

"Of course, and I see you've got yourself a nice woman at your side." Beck pointed to Trina, then snapped his fingers. Trina jerked back as a woman in a maid's uniform walked out with three glassfuls of vodka, and a bottle. "I never did get the chance to congratulate your rise in ranks. You…are twenty-one, correct?"

"Just turned twenty one a couple days ago…what's it to you? You're still underage." The woman set the tray down as Beck merely stared at her, tapping his fingers slowly on the table.

"Sharp as ever, I see." He grabbed one of the three bottles and took a sip. He stood up and walked towards a large window overlooking the moonlit beach. "Beautiful, sunny California. Even at night, it's hard to ignore." Trina stared at one of the vodka glasses while Jesse continued to glare at Beck. "Go ahead you two, drink up." He looked over his shoulder and raised his eyebrows. "They're not poisoned, I assure you. My maid isn't the brightest knife in the drawer, I swear she'd poison me accidentally if that were the case."

"Since when do you have a maid?" Trina growled under her breath and Beck bowed his head. She was forgetting that he was the head of a large crime organization. "And you've been here all this time?"

"Technically I live up closer to LA. Where, I cannot tell you. Right now, I'm meeting you on equal grounds. Your men have killed my aunt, taken out my men, and left me in a position where I have no real hands that I can promote from. Most of my men are inept at this point." He turned around and sipped his drink for a second, before pausing and pointing to their glasses. "I believe I asked you to _drink_. Am I being such a terrible host that you do not take my offering? I am negotiating peace. Since I know you don't want to step down, we can unite…"

Trina would only drink if Jesse did, and he was hesitating. When he took a deep breath and picked up one of the glasses, she did the same. Beck looked at them appreciatively and lifted his glass, as if making a toast.

"So you know where my sister is, Beck?"

"Now that I may have lied about. I don't know _exactly_, but I can always find out." Her eyes widened as she looked up at him. The vodka burned her throat, but did not taste any different than most. Though, she did detect a small kick. "Now let's talk about you two…"

"Us? There's nothing to talk about." She chuckled nervously, not wanting Beck to know her feelings for Jesse, or vice versa on the fear that he would try and manipulate them. "Jesse and I are just friends, Beck." Jesse looked over at her with an arched eyebrow. Beck threw his head back and laughed.

"Even he doesn't believe that." Trina frowned as Beck walked towards her. He tapped beneath her chin, causing her to jolt away from him, growling vehemently as Jesse tensed up. "See? That's what I thought. You two don't even know what the hell you are, do you?"

"Shut up, Beck. We're not negotiating with you anymore…" The vodka began to mess with her, firing up within her body. She put her hand to her chest and began groaning as her stomach flipped. "That's a little strong…" She looked to Jesse, by his expression, he was having the same peculiar reaction. "B-Beck! You bastard. You said there wasn't…poison…"

"Oh there _isn't_ poison in there." Her vision started to grow hazy as Beck sipped his glass. His eyes started to flash red, or perhaps it was a reaction from whatever she was going through. His lips curved into a malicious smile as he started to pass them, whispering in her ear. "I once told you. I'd get so close to killing you, and you wouldn't see it coming. Tonight's that night, Trina. I may not have put _poison_ in your drinks, but I did put something in to give you a major headache to remember…remember how close I can get to you and Jesse. I will see you two again, and next time, I will kill you both. Starting with the big guy over here…" He chuckled softly and set down his drink. "I expect you both will be passing out for the night in a couple minutes, so I'll just go get my things."

Her heart sped up and she looked over to Jesse. He was trembling and looked ready to fall from his chair. "What did you put in our drinks?" Her question fell to deaf ears, as Beck was already leaving the room. She reached over, throwing her arms around Jesse to protect him. "I won't let him! I won't!"

"Trina? Wh-what's going on…" Jesse put his hand to his forehead, groaning as he swayed to the right. "I feel a bit woozy. Where'd Beck go?"

"It's just us." She could feel her inhibitions going down as Jesse looked towards her. Her stomach started to churn inside of her. "Beck drugged us. It doesn't matter, he's gone now."

Jesse curled his fingers inwards and lifted his hand, caressing her cheek. "Have I told you…how beautiful you are?"

"Only a million times."

"Like an angel." She leaned into him, smiling as her heart skipped a beat. They didn't care if they were drunk, drugged, or whatever the hell they were. As long as they had each other, that was all that mattered. "We-We should get out of here. Get out of LA-no-the country. There are so many gangs out there, I don't want them to hurt you."

"We're drunk, Jesse…even more so, you know that can't work."

"I don't care. All that matters is we're together…"

She took a deep breath and slipped her arms around his neck. "Jesse-I…" Without anything to say, and without being able to control their own emotions, they leaned into a passionate kiss without daring to separate for a breath. Her temperature began to rise and her body swayed in his lap as her hands grasped his shoulders and a breathless moan fell from her lips.

Nothing else mattered now, though certainly Beck had not planned for this, but it left him ample time to escape. Trina and Jesse would deal with him tomorrow.

* * *

Well shit. The next chapter was written with this and flows together, so...I'm going to put it up. At least one of you might suspect what's coming though. So two people very much in love get drunk together, not even Beck planned for this part. Bear in mind he thought they'd simply pass out and buy him time...onto the next.


	49. Alone Again

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 49 (Alone Again)

Light flooded her eyes, stabbing her and smashing into her brain with incredible force. She threw her eyes open, wincing at the violent flash. Her head pounded ferociously as she reached up, groaning loudly. Her hand slid over her face, covering her eyes to shield them from the sun. "Where…am I?"

She couldn't remember anything from the prior night. She remembered going to see Beck, and recalled being drugged with Jesse, but then nothing. She felt around her and soon found she was in a bed with a large comforter over her. Her fingers slid over her bare body beneath the sheets, and her eyes flew open the instant she touched skin. She was on her right side, looking at the window which had her pants thrown over the curtain railing. A whimper left her lips as confusion and panic rose up inside of her.

"What happened last night?" She struggled to remember, only receiving bits and flashes. Whatever it was, she recalled herself leading into it. "Jesse and…oh no." She turned her head over her shoulder and started to whimper at the muscular man laying next to her. Instantly she recognized his dark hair and tanned skin. "J-J-Jesse…"

"My head," Jesse moaned as he began to stir awake. Her heart crashed to a halt and she began to tremble, fearful of what clearly happened the night before. It was coming back to her in a flash. They'd become so drunk that she kissed him and pushed him down, with one thing leading to another, they made their way into the bedroom. "What's going-why are my clothes on the…" Somewhere during all this, Beck vanished, perhaps not expecting what happened. He didn't lead them into it, they acted on their own feelings and emotions.

Jesse sat up, rubbing his eyes and looking over. When his gaze connected with Trina's, she could see realization mixing in with fear, and pure anger. She pulled her blanket up to her neck, whimpering as he began to tremble. "Trina, I…what did I do?" He studied her body for a second, then looked to his, still trembling.

"Nothing. We did it. We just started making out. It was Beck…Beck drugged us, Jesse."

"Trina, I never wanted to take advantage of you. I didn't want…I…_Beck_ did this?" His voice started to rise and the anger in his eyes overtook all else. Trina held her breath as he flew from the bed and grabbed his pants off the ground. "Yep. I'm going to kill him. I'm going to fucking rip that bastards head…HE'S DEAD!"

"Jesse, wait-we need to talk about this." It didn't feel wrong, that was the thing. She felt a spark inside of her and shrugged it off as she got up from the bed and began to dress up. "I know Beck drugged us, but I'm not sure he planned for this."

Jesse swept his hand through the air, his nostrils flared and his muscles were more tense than she'd ever seen. "I don't care if he planned it or not, it shouldn't have happened like this!" Her heart pounded as she watched him pull out his phone and dial Roger. "Where is he? Where is that fucking asshole, Roger! I'm going to kill him! I'm going to put my gun up his ass and-no I will _not_ calm the fuck down!" Jesse paused and looked over to Trina. She became worried and walked over, touching her hand to his shoulder. He pulled away from her and turned, shouting still at Roger. "I won't tell you what happened, either, just tell me where the hell I can find him! I'll storm every last Scrapperz rat if I have to! Just tell me you tracked his ass somewhere!"

"Jesse _please_, you're getting worked up…" She was struggling to keep calm too. She wanted to scream, she was just as enraged as he was, but she knew this anger wasn't a good thing. "I-I never wanted to take advantage of you either. I-I don't know what came over me last night. Jesse, please, let's just sit down and talk. We need to think this through." For once in her life, she didn't want to lead with anger. Especially since Jesse was the one now angry, someone had to be patient despite their rage, and that person was her.

Jesse clicked off his phone and grabbed his shirt from the ground. "He's in a hotel off 55." She couldn't stop him, he'd lost it. He thought he hurt her, he thought he'd ruined things with her because of this. He hadn't, she needed him to know that, but he was too angry to listen. "I'm going to tear his limbs from his body, tear his head off his shoulders, and I'm going to play a nice game of soccer with his bloody face."

"It's okay! Please, just listen to me. You can't be angry, you don't think right when you're angry." He couldn't go after Beck like this. She could feel it in her gut, something was wrong. "Jesse, Beck _knew_ you were going to be angry about simply getting drugged. What we did last night, I don't think he could have planned. But it's clear he planned for your anger on the drugging, especially if he booked a motel!"'

It had to be a trap! Normally he'd see that it was, he wouldn't go after Beck in that case. Not to mention, if Beck stopped off at a motel room, that had to imply he knew he was being tailed. Roger must not have known. The guys were eating right into his hands and they didn't realize it. "We can't go after him, not like this, we need to think this through. Please!"

Her words fell short as Jesse charged out of the room. His nostrils flared out and his eyes were wild with rage. Scared, Trina ran after him. She dialed Roger on her phone as they entered into Jesse's car. When she felt the car jolt forward, she let out a scream and looked over to the speedometer, the speed was rising sharply. "Shit. Roger pick up!"

After a few rings, Roger answered, concerned and confused. "Trina, what the hell is going on? Jesse's lost his mind!"

"He's not hearing me, Roger!"

"What?"

"I've never seen him this angry before. Ever!"

"What's going on, damn it! Talk to me!"

"He's going after Beck. At the hotel. Can you…Can you check and see if Beck is really there? I have a bad feeling about this. I think he knew you were following."

"How the hell would he have known that?" The beach house was unguarded, but at the same time, they'd never been to this area before. When they arrived, when Roger arrived, there were people all over the beach. Surfers, citizens they thought were just regular people. Her heart sank and her hand flew to her forehead.

"Shit, Beck played us for fools! Every person on the beach last night could have been a Scrapperz member. Roger, did they see you?"

"This kid buying a damn ice cream did, but what of it?"

"Roger, I think Beck had a feeling he was going to be followed. He was a step ahead of us! He knew you were around, he stopped at that hotel room because-he knew Jesse would get like this. He had to."

"I haven't seen anything make Jesse that angry before-"

"We were drugged, Roger." Roger took a long pause and Trina looked over to Jesse, whimpering as he slammed the wheel to the left. The car bounced on a curb and the speed increased as they shot down a side road. "Why would Beck want to make him angry like this? He's so…unfocused…disoriented…"

"That would be it. If you can't get through to him, well you'll just have to try. I'm going to head back to that hotel, try to keep him from getting there before I do. I need to see if Beck is still there or not. I swear to god…"

She looked ahead and felt her heart crash when her eyes landed on the motel sign. "I-It's too late. We're turning in now. Roger hurry! I don't want anything to happen to Jesse. I can't calm him down, he thinks Beck…I don't know…" This was her nightmare coming to life. Jesse slammed the car into park and flew out the door as Trina tried to reach out to him. Irritated and scared for her life, she flew out of her side and called after him. "Jesse please listen to me! Beck planned for this! He knows how you'll get!"

Jesse looked over his shoulder, hesitating as his eyes met with hers. "Trina, I…I let him get to me. I let him drug you, drug me." She held her breath as her body grew numb. He walked towards her, looking into her eyes carefully. "The last thing I ever wanted." He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Her stomach tightened and she thought the earth was moving for a second as he stepped closer to her. "Was to hurt you."

"But you didn't. You didn't hurt me." She lifted her hand up, brushing his hair back and smiling tenderly. "I didn't know what I wanted, because I was confused, but Jesse…I-I think I-look I don't want anything to happen to you. I'm scared right now."

"I don't mean to scare you."

"You're not, but I'm scared for you, okay? You're angry, you're not thinking things through. You're not realizing that we could be walking into a trap."

"Beck needs to pay."

"And he _will_."

Jesse lifted his hand and gently placed it on her arm. He looked at her and closed his eyes, breathing out heavily. "Last night…Don't think I'm running from it or anything. I-I didn't want it to be like that. I know what I want, but I didn't want that. I don't want you to think that-I don't know-I just…" She heard a pair of footsteps nearby and spun around to see Beck standing with two pistols in his hands. Almost instantly, Jesse's anger returned as he moved in front of Trina. "You!"

"Good morning." Beck started to laugh as he mocked Jesse with his eyes. "I have to say, I did _not_ expect you two to start hopping at it like rabbits."

"Shut up…"

Trina put her hand to Jesse's shoulder, whispering as she glared at Beck, "Don't let him antagonize you, Jesse. That's what he wants…"

"You know, it's funny." Beck tapped his right hand pistol on his chin and shook his head. "I never pegged you to be a squealer, Trina. A little screamer too. It's almost cute." Trina's eyes widened and Jesse charged Beck, roaring angrily. Her body froze and trembled as her knees started to buckle.

"You bastard!" Jesse swiped at Beck, but he stepped to the side and kicked Jesse in the back. Trina yelped as she watched Jesse stumble. He regained his footing and started to charge Beck once more, screaming profanities. "I'll tear you apart!"

"Oh put a sock in it." Beck jumped to the side once more and slammed his foot into the back of Jesse's knee, toppling the man to the ground. "Don't think I stayed there and watched. I was packing my shit while you two were in the next room. Geez, it's like the second you two were drunk, you were confessing your love and making out. I swear if I knew that was going to happen, I would have reconsidered my method of shaking you two up. I can only wonder what Tori would say."

"Shut your mouth." Jesse rose up and pulled his pistol from his jacket. Trina's eyes widened as she heard a gunshot, followed by blood. Jesse was now holding his bloody hand and laying on the ground in pain. She ran to his side and pulled him into her lap while holding her arms protectively around him. He pushed off and started to raise up, still not done with the fight. "You're dead, Beck. You're fucking done." Beck raised an eyebrow as Jesse picked up the gun with his other hand and aimed it for him.

"Okay then." A slick curl formed from his lips, "But first, I think I'll take her out…" Trina gasped as the man pointed his gun towards her. Jesse screamed out and charged for her. She wanted to shout for him not to, for him to let him shoot her instead, but the words couldn't leave her mouth. Just as Jesse stepped in front of her and spread out his arms, facing Beck, the gun fired.

Trina cried in anguish as his blood shot onto her, freezing her up. Jesse fell back into her arms, dropping her to her knees as she tried to hold onto him. "Jesse!" She began to tremble as she moved her hands to Jesse's chest, where the blood was now seeping out like a river.

"Stop it Beck! Please! Just stop! No-o…" She hovered over Jesse, weeping as Beck began his dark approach. Jesse opened his eyes and looked up to her with a subtle frown. He started to cough, and blood began to trickle from his lip. "No!" She screamed as images of Sinjin flashed through her brain. "Oh god no! Jesus. Don't you do this to me, Jesse! Please don't! I'll get you help!"

"You're not going anywhere," Beck remarked. She looked up with tears streaming down his cheeks. "The way I see it, I had two ways to kill him. I chose the less boring route. But yet, both worked out just fine it seems."

"Shut up you asshole! I fucking hate you!"

"Whatever." Beck looked down to Jesse and started to chuckle. "I knew if I aimed my gun at you, Jesse would have thrown himself in front of you to save your life. Therefore I could have killed him that way. Then again, I also knew if I enraged him, he wouldn't be fit for combat and would just charge with brute force. Making for a _very_ fun fight…He whipped out his gun, I had time to aim and shoot. Turns out, I had time to do both."

"Why? What did he ever do to you?!"

"Nothing. The bastard leads the strongest gang in LA. If I kill him, and I suppose with your rank, if I kill you too, then the Knights will be forced to disband. I will then be leading the strongest gang in LA. After the Cravens are destroyed, of course…" Jesse breathed heavily as Trina continued to apply pressure to the wound, hoping to slow the bleeding. "Love is funny isn't it? You try so hard to save the other person, even throwing your own life away for them, hoping it won't be in vain. Most of the time, it is…" He aimed the gun for her and she bowed her head, lowering her voice.

"Go ahead then. Shoot. Kill me. You may as well…You've taken everyone else from me." Beck hesitated for a moment, his lip curling into a very subtle smirk.

"No…No I don't have to, because you're Jessie's little bitch." She trembled as Beck started to chuckle. "Every gang in this country knows you, and they hate you just as much as they hate Jesse. I don't need to kill you, _they_ will kill you."

"Asshole…why did you have to take everyone from me? Why?!"

"It wasn't about you, but while we're on that subject, I never did anything to Tori, of course. But don't worry, I'll reunite her with you soon enough." Trina's head flew up and anger shot up inside her.

"Don't you dare touch her!"

"I do not believe you're in the situation to be making those kind of demands." They heard a gun barrel click and Trina whimpered as Beck turned his head over his shoulder, glaring at the person behind him. "Look who decided to join the party. The little bodyguard. A bit late…"

"Back off from them," Roger demanded. "I will blow your brains out right here, right now." He had a shotgun steadied onto Beck and a trigger finger ready to fire. His concerns, however, were elsewhere. "Leave. _Now_."

"R-Roger," Jesse strained himself to sit up and Trina yelped as she tried to hold him in place. "Kill the fucker…Don't let him get away." Roger looked to Jesse with heavy eyes and thinned his lips over. "I'll-we'll…be okay…"

Beck scoffed and shook his head, "I think this is where I'll take my leave." With that, he bolted for the building. Roger roared out and charged after him, leaving Trina alone with Jesse in her arms.

She swallowed the saliva building in her mouth as her salty tears drenched her cheeks. Her fingers traced Jesse's face as she bent over him, pleading for him. "I'll call the ambulance, something. Jesse just hold on-"

"No…there's no time." Jesse moved his hand to hers on his chest and curled his fingers under her. She began shaking her head, sobbing bitterly. "This is what I wanted so much to avoid. This is why I wanted you out of this life, to be safe. I don't care what it takes. Disband the Knights if you have to, Trina. I-I could never forgive myself if something happened to you."

"Jesse please, don't-you can't let this happen. I can't-I can't go through this again!"

"I love you." Her heart stopped and a sudden gasp fell from her lips as fresh tears stung her cheeks. She looked down at him, whimpering as he squeezed her hand gently. "I was confused for the longest time. I didn't think it was right to love anyone else, not after Sasha. You…I wish you would have met her, you two could have gotten along. You've been so strong, beautiful, a woman like no other-and not even Sasha was able to command respect from other gang members in the same way you do. I swore to myself I'd never do it again, that I wouldn't let myself feel those feelings again…but the longer I was with you, the harder it was to hold it in. Trina. Forgive me for not being able to say those words."

"Jesse, no. Don't do this…please…don't leave me. You _can't_ leave me! I-I don't know what I'm going to do without you."

"Get out. If you can find a way out of this life, you should. Sinjin and I will see you again one day, and you'll even be able to meet Sasha." He started to smile, despite the blood and tears running down his face. "You are one remarkable woman, Trina. Sinjin was lucky to have you, and I…am glad to have known you. You made the last months of my life…the best I've ever had."

"God no. Please." Her body ached as grief struck her like a tidal wave. Begging would be useless.

"Trina?" He coughed up once more and blood bubbled out from his mouth. "I don't have long, I'm in pain…I'm glad though. Because they say when you die, if you look into the eyes of someone who loves you…" He raised his hand up, curling his fingers on her cheek as she moved her eyes to his. "Then you can see heaven. Smile one last time for me?"

She didn't know what to say to that. Her heart was breaking and she wanted to throw herself off a cliff. She wanted to grab the gun beside them and die with him, but she couldn't. Not as long as she knew Beck was still alive. She lowered her quivering lips to Jesse's lips and kissed him tenderly, sobbing to herself. "I…love you, Jesse." She wiped her mouth and gave him a warm smile between her own sobs.

This wasn't happening. It couldn't be happening. Jesse took a deep breath, but it only came out as a wheezing sound. "Beautiful. Trina. Every time I kissed you, the reason I kissed you, I saw light. Warmth. I didn't know if it was good or bad, but now I realize it was pure…perfect…I'm glad I had the opportunity to love again, and I wanted you to know that you were loved. I'm glad you're safe…"

"How do you expect me to move on?" She whimpered softly as his hand fell from her face and his eyes remained glued to hers. "Jesse?" His body started to grow heavy, so instinctively she smiled at him one final time, so her smile would be the last thing he left with. "I love you. I love you…" She struggled to retain her shivering cries and waited as his body grew numb and his eyelids sealed over his eyes. Her hands started to shake as she searched him for life. "Jesse? Jesse? Jesse!"

Trina threw her head back as her entire body began to collapse, and a loud wail echoed into the air. Unfortunately nobody would hear, for now, she was truly alone.

* * *

It's not over, it's definitely not over. But now nothing's stopping her from taking out both the Cravens and Beck himself. There will be hell to pay.


	50. Shell that Remains

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 50 (Shell that Remains)

For a few weeks, Trina didn't speak to anyone, much less leave the mansion. As far as she knew, the Scrapperz, the Cravens, and all other gangs knew that Jesse was dead. A fact that she still hadn't been able to comprehend. Now everything reminded her of him, and his smell still wavered in the air of the mansion. No matter how she tried, whether by opening all windows and doors, or by planting air fresheners throughout the house, she could never stop smelling him around her or feeling his touch on her skin.

It was Sinjin all over again, and she hated it. She hated herself for letting her heart open to the possibility of love, or stupidly thinking she could be happy again. How _foolish_ of her! Even as she slowly accepted the truth, she had to start hardening herself. There was no use for the Knights to have a leader who was emotionally weak and dependent on emotions and feelings that no longer existed! She had to be strong, fierce, and she had to show every other gang in LA that the Black Knights were still to be feared. Because if she didn't, they were going to bombard them until they were whittled away into nothing.

That's what was happening, as far as she heard. Scrapperz, Cravens, and all the other gangs in the city had been attacking the turfs belonging to the Knights. They'd been trying to assassinate the higher ranks, including her, if they ever could locate her. She still received death threats, she knew this because Roger would report all threats to her as she informed him to do. If she left now, she'd be at risk, and even still she could never leave knowing Beck got away.

Trina descended the long stairwell in her fuzzy white robe. Her hair was a mess and the rings around her eyes were slowly going away. She attempted to brush her hair and fix her appearance, since for the first time she was going to talk to the gang about what was to happen. She wanted them to see a strong, independent leader. It was Roger and Rachel that kept checking on her, trying to get her up again. She wanted to talk to Vivian, even, but when Vivian left, she left without dropping any contact information to locate her.

She did talk to Tori on occasion, and the girl was still able to make her smile. She didn't know much about what happened to Jesse, and kept asking why Trina was in such bad shape. Her contact with Tori was diminishing, however, due to Tori's studies and busy college life. She was happy to see her sister doing the best she could. Truly there was nothing more she could ask for, and even still, she was forcing herself to be distant from even her because of Beck possibly finding and taking Tori out of her life too.

Taking a seat at the table, Trina folded her hands on the surface and studied the black ring on her finger. It was Jesse's ring, all she had left of him. "How stupid of me, to think I could ever be happy. For once in my life, I realize…I'm not meant to be…" Such a fleeting thing for her, this happiness. Never had she been happy, not even before Hollywood Arts. Depression had always been her biggest problem. Sinjin and Jesse both were people who helped her out of her depression, but because they did so, they were killed. "I give up. I fucking give up. You win…"

She heard the door open and instantly flipped her hair back as she tensed her body and struggled to push down the pain inside of her. Roger filed in with Raven, Yvonne, and John. After them came Rachel and her lieutenants, then Travis and his. Some warriors joined for the meeting, and some soldiers entered as well. Every one of them was somber.

Jesse's dying wish was that she'd be safe, that the Knights would be disbanded, but she couldn't do it yet. "Trina?" Roger put his hand to her shoulder and looked at her with worry and concern. "How are you holding up?"

"Never better." He frowned at her and looked over to the others for a second. They shook their heads as Trina stared at the ring on her finger. She'd kept her gold ring with it, to symbolize his being a part of her.

"Shouldn't we…talk about Jesse? He was my best friend, you know. You don't have to grieve alone, we're all here for you." She closed her eyes and droned out the merciless stabbing of her heart.

"I said I'm fine." She struggled against her broken voice and her cracked, decaying heart. "Please just sit down and we'll get this meeting underway." Roger nodded and sat to her right, Rachel to her left, and Travis across from her. The Lieutenants circled them and the warriors scattered around the room with the soldiers. She took a deep breath and forced out any thoughts of Jesse, to keep herself from breaking down and crying in front of all these people. "I know Jesse's gone, but I won't have these other gangs think that the Knights, or their new leader, as weak."

"Trina…"

"Now we're going to get right down to business. There are some things I need to clear up. No pitying, okay? I don't need pity." She looked among the others and closed her hands slowly. "Yes, I thought I could let myself fall in love again. I was _stupid_ enough to think I could ever be fucking happy. Now that I see fate won't allow me that peace, and there's no good that can come with something so bad-so fucked up-then I'll make my final moves."

"Final? Trina, come on-"

"Roger, you're now the General under me." He stammered as she pointed towards him, narrowing her eyes. She trusted him to that position the most as he was always the one Jesse counted on. He sucked in a breath and nodded, understanding the situation. "You can promote one of your Lieutenants to replace you."

"Raven."

"Raven?" She looked to the girl and firmly nodded. "You're now one of the captains. Congrats. Choose a Lieutenant to replace your position." She stretched her arms out and cupped her hand over her mouth as she thought of her next move. "The Cravens have been attacking, but how bad are the Scrapperz attacking? Has Beck even begun to rebuild his ranks?"

"It doesn't look that way," Roger replied with a certain sternness in his voice. "He doesn't have anyone to promote from. All his generals are dead, his captains dead, his lieutenants dead…That being said, it'll be a very long time before he can train anyone to those ranks."

"What are the state of things with the other gangs that remain?"

"They're growing in number and size. Since we shut down recruitments our gang's remaining stationary. The Cravens are crumbling because of the Scrapperz still tainting them. Our greatest threat will be smaller gangs as they start to unite and rise against us. Everyone's expecting a bite out of us. It's going to be, suffice to say, hell…"

"And the LAPD?"

"Just as bad. They're literally doing nothing, the mayor can't do a damn thing and citizens are beginning to grow very fearful. The gangs are going to rule Las Angeles at this rate, who knows what the future looks like. Bleak, I suppose." She leaned back in her chair and breathed out slowly.

"I won't go out without fighting." She expected her life to end soon. Nothing was keeping her here, because even Tori she expected would turn her back. Beck was winning, but his win would be short lived at best. Because when she killed him, after she kills Wesley and wipes out the Cravens while making the knights feared by other gangs, she would take her life. He'd rot in hell, she'd pray to be released from this eternal struggle. "If and when I die, I'm taking down these mother fuckers with me."

Roger lifted his head up to her and parted his lips, unable to come up with anything he could say to satiate her. The Captains all nodded and the entire room was silently awaiting her plans and orders. "I know where Beck is, Trina." She raised an eyebrow at him and gestured for him to speak up. "I saw him recently and tailed him all the way to his house, I don't believe he ever saw me. He was sitting comfortably by the fireplace, probably not expecting anything. His house looks pretty nice on the inside. Red velvet carpeting, a red recliner-actually it looks like hell fitting for the devil."

"That's good news, actually." She felt the rage and hatred curdling inside her, but another feeling remained. One of severe nausea that constricted her stomach. Perhaps all the stress and depression was just simply making her sick, but by now, she was getting used to it. "We will strike him when he least expects it, we will kill him. I-I want to be the one to personally blow his brains out on the velvet carpet of his." Jesse's image flashed through her mind once more, and she scrunched her face, pushing down the bile rising in her throat. "But first-there are other plans."

"What else?"

"Wesley Craven. It's time to tear him apart. Show him this time we mean business. His groveling and pleading ends here." She leaned forward and looked from eye to eye of each captain. "Captain Eric, General Dmitri, and his General Marvin. We have the locations of each of their hideouts. Raven, Rachel, and Travis. You three will take them out. Don't give them a fighting chance."

"I think I can deal with Eric," Rachel replied. "I see him at that barbershop down the street every two weeks, and I think he's due in for a haircut real soon." She snapped her fingers and slipped her lips into an icy cold smirk.

"Good. You make sure he receives a nice shave as well."

"I will…"

"I'll handle Dmitri," Travis tipped his hat and crossed his arms. "He's been taking flying lessons in this crop duster down at this ranch on the outskirts of town. I've been studying up, I know when he gets there and how long we have to make sure he has a piloting error."

"Get to it then. Anyone else? Raven, that leaves you with Marvin. Can you handle him?"

"I can," she answered, "Marvin's easy. He's always hanging at this bar. It's Wesley I'd be worried about. He's surrounded by guards all the time." Trina raised an eyebrow and scoffed. Of course he'd get paranoid, why would she be surprised? "The only times I've seen him _not_ surrounded by guards? When he's got some girl over."

"You don't say?" She narrowed her eyes and pulled her lips into a scowl. "Then I have an idea, but Roger, I'm going to need you there just in case." Roger was instantly concerned and seeing where this was going, he began to protest. "No. I won't let him touch me. No man…will ever touch me…but I will seduce the bastard, make him think he's getting what he's been wanting. While I do that, Roger, I want you making sure his guards really are out of the way. Then Raven, Rachel, and Travis? You'll be dealing with the remaining Cravens gang."

"Got it," they all replied without fail.

"Good, because when I've got him where I want him-I'm going to give him a nice little heart attack…Cravens will die, then we deal with Beck. If any of the smaller gangs try to start something, we'll let them know where the Black Knights stand. Any questions?"

"No."

"Then until further notice, this meeting is adjourned." As everyone began to leave, Rachel and Roger stayed behind, just to make sure she was okay. When she said nothing to them, they left.

A jolt of fear shot through her feigned confidence and she began to shake as she let her mind drift back to Jesse. "What am I doing?" He wouldn't want her doing this, just like Sinjin never wanted her getting involved in all this in the first place. "Jesse, Sinjin, I…I'm sorry. I love you, both of you."

Now wasn't the time for this, this doubt that riddled her for so long. This could very well be her only way out now, to crush the other gangs. At the same time, what did she care for getting out of this life when she didn't even have a way out anymore?

"I have to do this."

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It's a struggle that's for certain. Tell me your thoughts. There are a couple chapters left before a necessary time skip occurs to the final act.


	51. Femme Fatales vs The Cravens, anonreply

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N: I want to upload early to RESPOND TO GUEST: Yeah Jesse's death wasn't for naught though, I do have an announcement but one that I shall not say here in the author note. Except one of you may realize it, you may not, but I am going to throw in a temporary treat for you: The only clue may be a change in cover photo. Jesse was a good relationship for Trina, however, perhaps: Perhaps all hope is not lost? There _will _be a mini-arc and then something more that is in the works. Hey, I've finished writing AL a long time ago, so I had a little time during my new job on campus. Anyway, now that I got that response out of the way: Enjoy the early treat chapter. (There are only 7 chapters left after this one)

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Chapter 51 (Femme Fatales verses the Cravens)

Wesley opened his door, stunned to see Trina leaning against the door frame. He expected her as she called him and told her she wanted to meet him for a little 'private time'. That being said, he sent his guards away, and Roger was now guarding the premises. "Hello, big boy." She was wearing black lingerie which was covered by a transparent black dress that stopped inches above her knees. In her right hand was a leather whip, on her face was a black kitty mask, and tucked neatly in her bra were two capped syringes. She rolled her tongue along her lips and spoke in a sultry voice. "Hope you haven't been too busy."

"You've come crawling to me now that Jesse is gone?" His words stabbed at her like a knife to the gut, but she retained her stoic expression and remained in the act. "I knew this day would come," Wesley took her wrist to pull her in, but she pulled away from him.

"Uh uh. I like to be in control, Wesley. You should know that by now." At least that much was true. What she wasn't saying was there was absolutely no possible way she was letting him touch her. "I hope you like it kinky, because I'm going to tie you up and enjoy you _my_ way." She stepped inside and turned around to rub up against him. She lifted her arms up and around his neck, causing him to shudder in delight.

"Tell me. Has _he_ had you in bed?"

"A little soon." She felt his hand on her hip, then instantly spun away from him. She shook her finger at him, scolding. "_I_ will be in control. You don't get to touch me. I touch you." He was revolting and had the smell of alcohol on his breath, but he was nowhere near drunk.

"You are quite the temptress. I have rope in my bedroom…" She did a double take and raised an eyebrow at him. The man had rope? Perhaps she shouldn't be surprised, given the things that revolved around this lunatic. "Are you sure you don't want to be the one tied up?"

"Oh I'm sure." This wouldn't work on Beck, she knew that much. The man was too smart for his own good, a complete opposite of this hack. "I said _I_ am going to be in control here."

"All right, all right." As she followed him to his bedroom, she started to see more and more trash from fast food restaurants such as McDonalds and Burger King. Trina rolled her eyes and smirked with satisfaction as she clenched her fists and entered the bedroom to see him already shirtless and on the bed. "The rope is in my closet."

"Oh you just make this too easy…Give a struggle at least." She retrieved the rope and moved around to the bed. She grabbed his wrists and yanked them onto the headboard, causing him to yell out in pain. "Oh I'm sorry, let me know if it's too tight for you. Big boy." She bound his wrists together and tied them to the bedpost on the right. Her next move was to tie his ankles to the bedposts at the foot of the bed.

"Kinky, just the way I like. Tell me, how does it feel to be with a real man?"

She gagged as a ferocious stench ran into her nostrils and induced a severe wave of nausea. She turned around, retching as she reached up to her nose. Once done, she returned to the man, straddling his waist and moving her hands onto his disgusting, hairy checks. "Well. I'd say it felt good to be with a real man." She leaned down, letting her hair fall beside her and next to his face as she studied his curious gaze. "Unfortunately for you, that man was not you."

By now, the memory of her night with Jesse had fully returned to her. She never forgot the feel of his arms around her, or his body meshed with her. It was true what she'd told Tori so long ago, parting after something like that left too much pain afterwards.

"You don't think I am a real man?"

"Do you want my honest answer, Wesley?" With one hand, she pulled out the two syringes. Wesley's eyes began to widen as she slowly uncapped the long needles. "No, I don't think you're a real man. At least, you'd never be man enough to have me. Only two men would ever have been man enough, and only one of them ever did have me…To answer your earlier question. Yes, that man was Jesse. I loved him, and when he died, my heart burst…"

"Shit!" Wesley began struggling in his binds, screaming out for someone to help him. She wrapped her palms around the full needles and narrowed her eyes as he began to sweat and look up at her, full of fear.

"You're going to feel what that feels like. To have your heart burst. To want to die, to wish, pray, and _beg_ the one that killed your lover to kill you too…To cry and scream, but realize no one's there to save you…"

"Get off me, bitch!"

"Stop calling me _bitch!"_ With a loud roar, she jabbed him in the heart with the syringes and pushed the cap down. Wesley arched himself, screaming in anguish. When they were emptied, she hopped off him and pulled the needles out, watching as he whimpered and trembled. "Have some fucking respect for women you filthy, disgusting, revolting asshole."

"What did you shoot me with! What-" He began convulsing and trying to grab for his chest.

"Adrenaline injections. Full dosages. Enough to give you a heart attack and too low to detect otherwise. Since most of the police are corrupt enough and full of Scrapperz rats, the most anyone's going to think is you were having a little too much 'happy-fun time' after eating all those McDonalds burgers, and overworked your heart. Goodbye Wesley." She moved for the doorway, stopping as he let out a final cry.

"You won't win. My men are still out there."

"Oh. That's another thing." She turned her head over her shoulder and narrowed her eyes. "They're not. The Cravens die today." She walked out, ignoring his screams and cries for help. She needn't wait around, as he was already complaining about his heart. "Some men just don't know when it's overdone until it's over. Such as waste."

At Dmitri's ranch, Travis was unable to be there to take the man out, so he sent his Lieutenant Mandy instead. Mandy didn't take long, since she'd worked with engines for most her life due to her family's life working in an auto shop. Granted planes and cars were different, but for her, that was only in theory.

She'd studied engines most her life, of all kinds, and it really didn't take much to cause an engine failure. She backed away from the crop duster and hurried towards a tree when she heard Dmitri's voice nearby. The man was walking with a girl who had her head turned down, clearly annoyed and upset. She growled under her breath and watched as the man climbed into his plane, boasting his ability. "You should see me fly, I swear there's no better pilot than me!"

"Whatever," The girl replied. Mandy leaned against the tree and swept her hand through her blonde locks, grinning as Dmitri started to take off.

"Old Bill was smarter than this guy." She flipped a wrench in her hand and watched as Dmitri began to show off by performing several barrel rolls in the air. She let out a loud yawn and started to walk off the ranch when she heard someone shouting from the sky. Her lip tucked into a smirk as she glanced over her shoulder in time to see the man's plane plummeting to the earth. "And Travis said this was going to be difficult." She shrugged her shoulders and continued her departure as the other girl ran for the crash. "Never let a man do a woman's job."

Rachel stepped into the barber shop where Eric was getting his haircut. She was pleased to see it was one of those shops where there was only one actual barber working, and no cameras. Eric was sitting already in his chair, and the barber was gone, lured out by a feigned emergency call from his wife. For some reason, Eric decided to remain there, which worked out well for her.

"Hello there," she began. Eric looked up from his magazine and raised an eyebrow at her. She pulled on a pair of gloves and started to walk over to him. "I'm here to finish your haircut."

"Oh? Really?"

"Yes sir." She picked up a barber's old fashioned razor blade and stepped behind him. He had a thick brown beard that was in patches. "You look like you need a shave, did you request one?"

"That would be nice. Last girl I was with said I needed a trim."

"Of course. Let me get right on that…" She slowly applied the shaving cream to his face while rolling her eyes and grimacing with disgust. The magazine he was reading was an odd one for a barber shop to have, as it was full of girls in bikini wear and other lingerie. _"How fitting that's the last thing this guy's ever going to see."_

She started to trim his beard, gaining up his trust. He hummed to himself and she put her fingers to his chin to tilt his head upwards. "Let me grab these whiskers on your neck…" Eric closed his eyes as she started to slide the razor down his chin and neck. When she got to the jugular vein, she tilted her head and looked to the magazine. "Well I hope you're enjoying the women on those pages."

"Sure am."

"Good…they'll look nice…drenched with your blood." Eric's eyes widened as she pressed in and made a small slit across his jugular. His hands flew to his neck as blood began to seep out. She dropped the blade in his lap, then made her way out of the shop, scoffing under her breath.

At the bar, Raven sat alongside Marvin, who was busy downing his fifth shot of Grey Goose. The man didn't notice her, or even recognize her as a Black Knight. The only other person was the bartender, and he was half asleep as it was. "Hey there hot stuff," Raven started, "What's cooking?" Marvin looked over to her with a light groan. He had a heavy five o'clock shadow and bags beneath his eyes.

"Depressed. My fiancé broke up with me."

"That's too bad."

"Yeah…I keep hoping the next bottle will finish me off."

"Love hurts."

"You think someone's your soul mate, then this shit happens." Raven slowly nodded and shook her head, letting her mind drift to Trina. She started to smile as she leaned back on the stool.

"You know, I have a friend that could use this, maybe you could use it too." He raised an eyebrow as Raven swept her hand through her hair. "There's this book called _Blue-Eyed Devil_, written by Lisa Kleypas-great read! I love it!"

"What's it about?" Eager to talk about one of her favorite books, she clapped her hands together and grinned wide.

"Okay, the guy-the 'blue eyed devil' is a self made millionaire named Hardy Cates. Kind of comes from a bad part of town, bad life and has a lot of enemies through the life he's lived. He's at the top of an oil industry, and always has vengeance on mind. Then there's the Heiress, a woman named Haven Travis. She comes from a highly wealthy and revered family but doesn't want to live the life they want her to. She marries a man they disapprove of and she goes on this highly dangerous course that screws her over. She comes home a couple years later, guarded and keeping her heart closed to others. Then-she meets Hardy Cates! Enemy to her family and the one person that can open her back up as their destinies unfold together." She clasped her hands to her chest and squealed with delight while Marvin simply raised an eyebrow. "I have _got_ to suggest that book to Trina!"

Even though it was likely to be the last thing Trina would likely want to read, given her current situation and her tendency to make connections to everything around her. "So what's the big thing you think would be good?"

"This quote said by the author, Lisa Kleypas." She cleared her throat, ready to recite the quote word for word and eager to return to Trina and tell her the same quote. "_I no longer believed in the idea of soul mates, or love at first sight. But I was beginning to believe that at very few times in your life, if you were lucky, you might meet someone who was exactly right for you. Not because he was perfect, or because you were, but because your combined flaws were arranged in a way that allowed two separate beings to hinge together._"

"That is actually pretty deep."

"Yeah…" It was almost a shame she'd have to kill him now. "What do you say we go for a walk?"

"Sure…"

Within minutes she was guiding this man down a darkly lit street. He was stumbling all over himself, which was proving both useful and difficult. As she stepped beside a large tree, she saw a pair of headlights coming towards them at high speed. "You know Marvin, this has been a good talk."

"Yes. Yes it has."

"It's almost a pity I have to kill you. I'm sorry."

"What?" She pushed him forward, causing him to stumble out into the street. He moaned as the oncoming car honked at him. Raven ducked into hiding and looked away just as the car smacked into him and sent him flying through the air. Whoever the driver was didn't stop, so Raven was able to run up and check on Marvin. He had blood coming from his ears, mouth, and was no longer moving. When she checked his pulse, she confirmed him dead, and the shattered bottle in his hand gave proof that it was a drunken accident.

"Fitting though. Cravens, wiped out by women." She chuckled darkly and made her way away from the scene. "Still! Got to tell Trina that quote! Maybe it'll inspire her to feel better…"

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So the Cravens bit it. Your thoughts?


	52. Trina's Final Love

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

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Chapter 52 (Trina's Final Love)

Trina gazed at the ceiling above her, distressed and irritable. Raven's quote really hadn't helped her much. As she closed her eyes she let her mind wander towards the two men in her life, or, life since gone. Sinjin and Jesse appeared before her with solemn looks on their faces. "Not much longer, and I'll be in your arms again," she whispered to the both of them. Was love felt in heaven as it was on earth? "To be with you, to dance with you and spend eternity with you again."

"It's not time," Sinjin remarked. She whined as Jesse crouched beside her and moved his hand to her belly. Her eyes drifted to her stomach and she began to see her skin turning dark with anger and pain, but there was a flicker of light inside of her, glowing brighter with each flash. "Trina, you have a chance to live. Take it."

"I don't want to." She let her tears fall down her cheeks as the boys moved to either side of her. "Even if I take Beck out, I'll never…never be able to get away from all the gangs out there. They're getting worse, they're getting stronger and more unified. I'm scared. I just want you to hold me again. Both of you…I-" Her eyes drifted to Sinjin and her heart ached for him. "Was it wrong of me? Was it wrong of me to love another? Is that why he was taken from me?"

"No. I wanted you to be happy, as did he." Jesse took her hand in hers and crouched beside her, smiling into her eyes. "I was what you needed growing up. He was what you needed when he came along. Two different parts of your life. We both love you, but perhaps in different ways just as you love us, and in different ways. You needed to know it was okay…and soon, you will need to know another love."

Her eyes widened and she quickly shook her head, hating the idea of having yet another man in her life. "N-No, I don't want another. I can't take another. It'll only end the same way. In misery. I'm closing my heart up, for good reason!" Sinjin and Jesse looked to one another, then back to her.

"You know no one controls who comes and goes in their life," Jesse ran his hand through her hair and gently kissed her forehead. Her body trembled as the warmth and light of his kiss traveled along her body. "This love will be your true light, keeping you…from losing yourself."

"I don't understand." She sat up, screaming out as her hands flew to her head. "You don't understand either! I can't love another. It hurts too much! It's too painful! It-I won't! You can't make me…I…It's bad enough I'm in love with two men, I don't need a third." She hugged her knees to her chest and started to sob, fearing that she was finally going crazy. "W-Why can't I just be with you? Why do I have to go through this? It isn't fair! It's not fair! Isn't it bad enough I had to lose my entire family? I had to lose the man I loved _twice_, and in this life, I don't need a third. There will never be a third-mark my words-I will not let there be a third!"

Jesse chuckled softly as Sinjin shook his head, smiling as well. Trina whimpered as the two men began to fade away from her. Her eyes flew open and she gasped out in panic and confusion. Tears fell from her eyes as her chest heaved. "No. I can't fall for another. I won't allow myself to do that…" Why would they even suggest such a thing?

She needed a distraction, and was grateful for today. For this was the day she was going to tear Beck to shreds. Her phone went off to the tune of _Broken Angel_ by Arash and Helena. She answered it and wiped the tears from her eyes. "Yes?"

"It's Roger. We got him. He gave one hell of a fight, and the motherfucker is still fighting." She could hear banging in the background, followed by Raven and Rachel shouting for someone to shut up. "There's a lot of dead Scrapperz right now. We'll be bringing the prize to you now."

"Set it up in the back yard when you get here. He's not getting a fighting chance with me."

"I thought we got all the fight out of him. We did shoot him in the leg, had to bandage it for transport. We'll…" Roger breathed out heavily. "Try not to kill him on the way over." She heard him order someone to close the trunk of the car. "I would have thought you'd want to be a part of his capture."

"It's better this way." It was easier on her this way. She did want to be a part of his capture, but she'd been feeling sicker each and every day, and today was no different. She was no coward, but she would have been a liability out on the field. "I'm not feeling well, Roger. I'm nauseous, sore, tired, and I have a terrible headache." She heard him hum as one of the women suggested something that she wasn't able to hear. "I'm not going crazy, am I?"

"No. I uh…I don't think so. Raven wants to ask if you and Jesse-you know-it's kind of personal."

"You know the answer, and you have my permission to tell her what happened."

"Right. We might be making a pit stop. Assuming the trophy in the back stops making such a racket. I'm going to have to knock the asshole out."

"If you don't mind me asking. How did you get him?"

"A lot of bloody hard work. Fucked up bastard saw us coming, it was a damned war by the time Rachel and I got to where he was. She managed to shoot him in the leg, but he _kept on shooting_. So we were crouching while he was crawling, telling us the only way we were getting him was by killing him…I think he knew we were bringing him to you. Raven came in through the window, up behind him, and slammed a book down on his head…"

"Nice work. Sounds like he was a handful."

"Yeah. You sure go out of your way to get a man." She could practically see his smirk all the way from here. Her eyes narrowed as she walked into her bathroom.

"Just get him here, and get ready for cleanup. It's going to get messy." She clicked off the phone and knelt down at the toilet, gripping the edges as another sudden wave of nausea shot through her. She attributed this to finally being able to get Beck, all the stress, grief, emotions and pain rushed up through her and she let it fall out into the toilet.

Her eyes darkened as she grabbed a tissue from the bathroom counter and rose up to look in the mirror as she cleaned her face. She could still feel Jesse on her, in her, and she could still feel Sinjin's embrace. Her face tensed as she recalled their bodies in similar position with blood pooling out beneath them.

Now she could only imagine a third man and unknown hands on her body only destined for death. Everyone she loved, everyone she knew, they would all die. If she let them get too close, or if she opened herself up, then it would all be over. She'd sooner kill herself than to let it happen, and that was exactly what was going to happen. Nothing, and nobody would possibly stop her. "Never again." She pulled open a small drawer and removed a pistol. Thinking to herself, she wasn't into the idea of torture. She wanted Beck's death quick, but she wanted him to feel it. She wanted him to feel his flesh tearing from his body as the bullets went through him. "An Uzi will be better fit…and I hate those guns."

After some time, she made her way into the back where Roger and the three Captains had tied Beck up to a tree. Her nostrils flared out as her eyes met with his. His lips turned up into a cold smirk as he puffed out his chest. "Hello again, Trina. I was wondering when I'd see you. I thought you'd show up with these guys."

She looked towards the others. They had blood on them as well as bandages from the fight. She shook her head and looked back to Beck. "I haven't been feeling too well lately. All the stress is getting to me, I'm sure. But that's about to end."

"So you're going to gun me down just as I gunned Jesse down? Oh! What about Ross?" She froze as Beck narrowed his eyes and curled his lip into a darker smirk. "Didn't think I'd find out about that one did you? Remember the Scrapperz were everywhere, of course they saw-" She fired a gunshot into his side, causing him to yelp and arch himself as he clenched his teeth. "Motherfucker that hurt…"

"Ross got what he deserved, and so will you."

"I was trying to make a point." His eyes flicked over and narrowed at her. "You and I? We're not so different, are we? Killing because we want to, because we can."

"I have purpose. I am _nothing_ like you, asshole." She pointed her two Uzis at him and growled. "Up until you murdered Jesse, I still felt like I had meaning in my life! I fell in love again, I had someone who loved me, and you took him away!"

"That's what you get for falling in love with a gang leader. It's ill fated anyway." She trembled as Beck's icy smirk broadened and his devilish eyes studied her. "Don't think I was without purpose. I wanted to be the top gunner in LA, so of course I was taking out the Cravens, El Sangre, the Black Knights. I was doing just fine until Jesse met up with your ass. Then you started getting involved, spoiling everything, ruining everything…Getting smart, getting tough and keeping your sister _and my girlfriend_ away. You wonder why I hate you? There you have it! After all this time, you finally know that I hate you because you _got in my way!"_

"Fuck you!" She fired another couple shots that grazed his ribcage and one sliced past his right cheek. Her aim was faltering and her eyes were welling up with tears. Beck grinned dangerously as blood traveled down his cheek and into his mouth.

"You can't even shoot right! I'm right in front of you, Trina. Right here. You got the devil tied down and you can't even kill him." He laughed again and Trina tensed her muscles. "Killing Jesse was the best thing I've ever done! His death literally wasn't anything personal to you, I'd been trying to wipe him out for years since he sat on top of the throne for all these damn city gangs! King of the fucking Knights, king of fucking LA." She started to fall to her knees and began to lower her weapons as she started to curse him. "What's the matter? Lost your edge, have you? You're nothing without him? Oh I'm sorry, you were nothing before him!"

"Shut up!"

"You remember? Worthless? Stupid? Pathetic? Yeah, all the things we called you years before all this shit. You still are. I don't even _know_ what Sinjin was thinking by going out with you, the dude was cool until then." Her heart began to constrict as her stomach tightened and her nostrils flared out.

Killing him, as good as it would feel, would solve nothing. She understood that. She understood when Ross died, the emptiness that remained was there because revenge was only a temporary satisfier.

"Oh and Trina? I don't know what Sinjin _or_ king of the Knights ever saw in you." She began to whimper as Roger and the captains turned their glares onto Beck.

"Don't let him provoke you," Roger muttered, "He's just trying to get to you." It was no use, Beck already had. He knew she was wounded as it was, all he had to do was add on to her depression, to make her lose out first. "Trina?"

She started to stand, keeping her head bowed as Beck laughed maliciously. "I almost feel sorry for Jesse, the last thing he did before he died was fuck you." Her heart stopped at that, and both Rachel and Raven screamed at Beck. "Well Trina? How you going to respond? Going to shoot me down yet? I'm waiting-or am I right-have you truly lost your edge?"

"Fuck you…Just…_fuck you!"_ She wiped her eyes and handed the guns over to Roger, who was astonished by this turn of events. "I-It's not worth it, Roger. The gangs will still know…Kill him."

As she made her way towards the door, she heard the girls call out to her, followed by Beck's merciless laughter that was only ended by a barrage of gunfire into his body. She was inside, glancing out the window to see him tensed up and glaring into the sky as blood splattered from his body. Roger was shooting from the feet up after starting with the crotch. Beck, was in no way, being shown mercy,

When his head fell, she felt a rush of relief. Secure and confident, she began her ascent to the stairwell. This was her final act, there was no more purpose for her now that Beck was gone. She entered into her bedroom and closed the door, breathing in heavily as she moved to her window. She sat down on the windowsill and slowly removed the pistol from her pants pocket and held it between her knees.

Her eyes clenched shut as her heart began to race. The memory of Jesse standing before her at this very window, in this very position stung her and tore her apart. To think, it was on the same night she lost her father because of Beck. "It's over. Finally." She exhaled slowly, shuddering as her eyes moved for the gun in her hand. Her chest heaved as her body began to tense. "God…"

She heard Rachel and Raven inside the house, calling for her. For a second, she hesitated and let her eyes drift to the door. Her lips parted and her tears flowed out in streams. She prayed they wouldn't find her before she went through with this, but she also didn't want them to be the ones to find her body.

With a whimper she began to lift the weapon. She remembered what Sinjin and Jesse said about some mysterious third love that made her question what was to come in her life. "I don't need another man…I have no one else, I have no future, no purpose, I have nothing." There was Tori, but even she would probably leave her. Maybe that was the third love, though? She started to lower the gun back down, questioning the moment.

A shiver ran down her spine as she felt Jesse's touch like a phantom. Trina recognized his hands, his fingers sliding down her body. She lifted her head and began to sob as she tried to fight the memory of his touch. The sensation stopped at her belly, and she felt a sudden rush of nausea and vomit shooting up inside of her, causing her to drop the gun and run for the bathroom.

She flew over the toilet, screaming out and groaning in pain. Her bedroom door flew open and both girls came running into the bathroom, after Raven pointed out the pistol on the floor. She clenched her eyes shut and fell to the ground as the girls knelt beside her. "Are you okay?" Rachel asked.

"No. I'm fine!" She snapped in reply, "I'm queen of the _fucking _world! Of course I'm not okay!' Raven felt of her head, then her cheeks while Rachel moved to the counter.

"I um, I thought you might be needing this…" What could they possibly have for her? She put her hands to her stomach and groaned loudly as her tears slid into her hair. She wanted to scream for them to leave her alone, they weren't going to stop her. Not now. "Anyway, you shouldn't let Beck get to you." She clenched her teeth, fighting back her tears as the nausea swirled about her stomach, stabbing her with more pain than this grief was.

"It's not just Beck. It's everything. He's right, up to this life everything in my life has just been a downward spiral! I have nothing left anymore…"

"That isn't true," Raven said quietly, "You have more than you realize. Your sister, for one thing. You have us, we're your friends. Trina, you know you can talk to us. You don't have to hide away or…" Raven's eyes drifted to the pistol in the bedroom and her voice softened. "Were you about to-"

"I've been wishing for death all my life. The one time I was truly happy, I was with Jesse. I was happy with Sinjin too. Every time I'm happy, it's taken from me. Nothing you say can change my mind. There's no other way out of this life that I can see…"

Her eyes moved to Rachel and froze on a box in her hand. Her entire world collapsed around her and her eyes began to widen. "Is that…" It was a pregnancy test. "No, I-I can't be pregnant." Here she was, about to take her own life, and there was a possibility of a baby growing inside of her? What made these girls think this?

"You've had symptoms," Rachel opened the box and helped Trina to her feet. "You've been sick, hormonal, and well…This all started after you and Jesse had sex. It's possible. Please, reconsider what you were doing…know that you have people around you, and if you _are_ pregnant, would you still…"

"I don't think so." Her heart thrashed about once more as she recalled those words. _Third love._ Not another man, not her sister, but a baby? Her breath fell from her lips in soft gasps as she took the test from Rachel and let her tears drip down her cheeks. "I can't…" How could she bring a baby up in this life? At the same time, no matter how much she wanted to let herself go, she couldn't take her life. Not if she was pregnant, not if she were carrying Jesse's child, but how in the hell could she raise a baby in this hell? "If I'm pregnant, part of Jesse's inside of me. Part of me is in there…growing, alive…I-I don't…" She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "Raven? Would you…take that gun?"

"What do you want me to do with it?" Raven asked.

"Just…I don't know…I don't think I'm going to need it right now. Let me take this test…" She covered her mouth and began to weep as the girls slowly left the bathroom. She put together in her mind all the symptoms, the signs and the dreams, and she already knew what the result of this test would be before she even took it. She could still fill that spark of light in her womb. A beautiful baby that would begin to grow.

Her child, Jesse's child. How would she even be able to do this? She didn't even know where to begin.

* * *

The story itself isn't over, but Beck has finally been killed-reduced to a man hurtling insults as his final weapon. Trina's carrying Jesse's child in her, that baby literally saving her life. There is a very necessary time skip coming, you will see why it is needed. Then the final act of the story is a couple chapters. Tell me your thoughts on the chapter.


	53. City in Chaos

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 53 (City in Chaos)

August 2018, the city of LA was now the nation's most notorious city, and all these years later Trina still had been unable to get out of the life. Gang wars were routine, and assassination attempts pulled her back in every time she tried to leave. Yes she was still the leader of the Black Knights, but her gang was slightly less active. Unfortunately due to this, every other gang within LA was going after her, through any means necessary. They felt she gave gangs a 'bad name' because she had 'other' priorities.

She wasn't just protecting herself though. She no longer cared about saving herself, she only wanted to save the one thing that was most precious to her. "Mommy!" Trina's eyes shot open and she sat up in her bed, looking towards her door to see her three year old daughter rubbing her right eye and holding a pink bunny in her left hand. "Mommy I had a scary dream…"

"Baby…" Trina smiled and stretched her arms out, curling her fingers inwards. "Come be with Momma, Sasha. I'll keep you away from all those scary monsters." Sasha climbed into her bed and cuddled up next to her. Trina wanted to name her after Jesse's fiancé as a bit of a tribute to her, and because in a way, she felt like there was a part of that girl's spirit in her daughter as well. Not to mention, Sasha was almost like a savior name to her, if not for Jesse's fiance, he wouldn't have been the same way he was. If not for her baby girl, Trina would not be here now.

Sasha was a charming and relatively bright child. She had Trina's features, but Jesse's darker hair and his eye color, while retaining Trina's eye shape. The girl's hair was also wavy and flowed down to her shoulders. Trina wanted a better life for her baby, but she didn't know how to give her that.

She'd not talked to Tori in years it seemed, which depressed her, but she understood it was likely due to whatever career Tori received. Then again, she also had to sacrifice some contact because she didn't want the gangs to go after her sister the way they went after her and Sasha. "Momma would you read me a bedtime story? Or tell me about Daddy again?" The girl looked up at her with wide, pleading eyes and a bright smile. "Pwease?" Trina laughed as her daughter cuddled up closer. "Was Daddy really a hero like Grandpa?" She hummed softly and kissed Sasha's forehead.

"In some ways he was, but Grandpa was a hero for different reasons. They wanted the same thing though."

"Really?" Sasha's bright eyes lit up and Trina carefully pulled the covers over her daughter, nodding vigorously.

"Grandpa wanted to clean the streets of LA and he wanted me to be happy and safe. Your father wanted the same. Your dad came from the other side of the street, so to speak, but I loved him despite whatever flaws he had." Some things Sasha would have to understand when she was older. The girl didn't know much about gang activity, or really understand it, but she did unfortunately understand that the streets of LA were dangerous for her and her mother.

"Your grandpa was a hero to LA, and maybe one of our best police chiefs." The LAPD was too far gone now. Every officer from the lowly recruit to the Police Chief himself was corrupted by the various gangs still plaguing the city. City Hall fell as well, as prominent members on the board actually belonged to some of the gangs. "I will tell you a real bedtime story though."

"Okay!" Sasha wrapped her arms around Trina's waist. Trina wrapped an arm around her daughter and gazed into the innocent girl's beautiful eyes.

"There once was a town so lovely and blue, and a king could watch his two princesses play in the street without a care." Sasha gasped happily as Trina closed her eyes. "As his daughters grew, the town began to change, and the king watched his kingdom darken from enemies coming in from outside his land."

"Oh no!"

"Yes, so the king went to work to find a way to protect his beloved princesses and to keep these enemies from harming them. But it was all too late as his youngest was influenced by a dark sorcerer, one of the worst to arrive in LA from a foreign land up north." Sasha's hands flew to her mouth and she shook her head.

"No momma, say it isn't so!"

"But all was not as bleak as it seemed as the elder princess rescued her sister by sending her and the evil sorcerer's captive lady away to a faraway land to be protected." Sasha lowered her hands and laughed happily. "The King then rose to combat these forces, but he struggled against the dark sorcerer and the enemies that tainted his land. He was about to lose his eldest princess to the clutches of the evil sorcerer. There was hope, though! For a trusty prince in a shiny suit of armor-"

"A knight, momma?"

"Yes, a knight, came and whisked the princess away to a mansion in the hills out of the sorcerer's reach. There he taught the princess to become strong, to fight with more strength than she thought she had. Together, the prince and the king would join forces and begin to restore peace and order to the kingdom."

"What happened? Did they live happily after?"

"Not all is as it seems." Trina tapped Sasha's nose and shook her head. "Oh no, no. For you see the evil sorcerer had a dangerous plan cooked up. For when peace was thought to be restored to the land, he swooped in and defeated the heroic king." Sasha's eyes widened and she let out a big gasp.

"Oh no! What happened next, mommy? Did the prince and princess save the day?"

"By now the prince and princess were madly in love, but the prince was afraid she would turn away from him in all this confusion. Her love was real and true, as was his, so they pushed past their struggle and met the Sorcerer on his grounds. It was here that the prince would fall to the sorcerer's dark magic. The princess rose up and defeated him, restoring a bleak land and saving the day." Sasha clapped and curled up into a ball against Trina's chest. "Sometimes even the princess can save the day, sweetie."

"I'm your princess, right Mommy?"

"Of course you are, baby."

"I love you, Mommy."

"I love you too." She looked to the window at the rain pelting the window and smiled softly as she let her daughter twirl her finger in her hair for a couple minutes.

"Momma? When will we get to see Aunt Tori again?"

It had been a very long time since Sasha saw her aunt. Not a matter of _years_, but it had at least been a year. She was amazed her daughter still remembered the woman, and wondered if Tori remembered her. "I don't know, sweetie." Sasha studied her for a minute and laid her head on the pillow.

"Aren't you happy Mommy?"

"Of course I am."

"You don't look happy. Is it because you miss aunt Tori? Daddy too?"

"Yes, but there's nothing I can do about it baby. It's better this way, you'll understand when you're older." She kissed Sasha's forehead and closed her eyes as a shooting star flew by the window outside. Her body relaxed as she heard her child's soft whisper to an old children's poem she learned.

"Star light…star bright…first star I see tonight. I wish I may an' wish I might have the wish I wish tonight…make my momma happy and bring Aunt Tori home. And peas, _peas _help my momma." She opened one eye and smiled subtly as her daughter closed her eyes and slowly drifted to sleep.

It was said that a child could see through barriers and walls, that they were in touch with the feelings of those closest to them. She didn't know if it was true or not, but Sasha did unfortunately have a front row seat to Trina's struggles as she fought to find peace and make a good home for her daughter.

Growing up in this city was in no way easy on Sasha, and Trina _tried_ to leave LA once before but failed when another gang found her. She was truly locked into this life when there was a direct attack on her daughter. One day Sasha had been enjoying her first day of preschool when this shady gangster kept trying to pick the girl up from the school playground. It was Roger that spotted the man since he was looking out for Trina and Sasha, as he so often did over the years, and he got Sasha to safety without any issue. But this was a very real danger that terrified the hell out of Trina.

She was still making hits, placing orders to try and keep control. It was more a struggle to stay alive, however, but also a struggle to do the right thing in a town full of things that were wrong. Try as she might, she simply could not do her Dad's job of clearing out the town. She almost didn't have the fight left in her, but the one light in her life that kept her going was her little girl.

Even if it killed her, she was going to make sure her baby was safe.

The next morning, Trina cuddled with her little girl on the couch and watched as Sasha played with her pink bunny. The bunny didn't really match the girl's red footie pajamas with yellow ducks, but the child didn't seem to mind. Sasha tossed the bunny into the air, laughing in jubilee. Trina watched the bunny fly up and raised an eyebrow. "I think I just discovered why we don't have any pets…"

"What, Mommy?" Sasha clutched her toy and looked up curiously."Did you say something about a pet?" The child's eyes started to light up and Trina let out a heavy sigh, smiling tenderly.

"No dear." Sasha's face fell flat, then she instantly returned to her toy. "Let's see what's on the news..."

Sasha hurried to cuddle alongside her as she so often did when Trina turned on the television. She put one arm around her daughter's shoulders and turned on the television. Her hope was that nothing vital was on, but really there was no sense in trying to keep the state of things away from her daughter no matter how young she was. It would just make her raise questions such as: Why those people are trying to hurt her mother. Yes. That came up.

The reporter on the screen looked forlorn as always, so there was nothing noteworthy about him besides the utter despair citizens in this town felt. _"Another day in Las Angeles and gangs rule the streets,"_ informed the man, _"Cities nationwide are watching Las Angeles in fear as the gangs in other parts of the country contemplate taking over. There is news that the President himself is being asked to consider military involvement."_

"There's a shocker," Trina muttered under her breath. Sasha looked up to her as she swayed her legs against the couch.

_"The Governor of California is set to meet with the president today to discuss the state of the city. We need a way to regain control of our town before it is torn apart. Again this is Tom Bradley requesting another day that you stay inside with your family and children…"_

The door opened and Trina looked over to see Roger walking into the house. Sasha jumped up from the couch and ran over, cheering. "Uncle Roger!" The man chuckled as she threw her arms around his legs. "What brings you here?" Roger crouched down, patting Sasha on the head.

"I have a couple things to discuss with your mother."

"Okay. Let me let her know you're here." Trina cooed as Sasha hurried over to her side and put her hands to Trina's knees. "Mommy, Roger's here to talk to you. Want me to send him over?" She laughed lightly as Roger hooked his thumbs into his belt, smiling at the child.

"Sure, sweetie."

Sasha grabbed her bunny and turned towards Roger, "Momma will see you now!" Sasha moved to the other side of the end table with her bunny as Roger walked over to the couch. He set his hand on his knee as he sat down.

"So what's going on, Roger?"

"Nothing new really, but the other gangs are still waiting on you to slip up. They're making threats towards Sasha now." He whispered his words and Trina looked over to her daughter, narrowing her eyes as she thought of all the city gangs. "I know we've been trying to wipe them all out to restore order, but Trina…I'm starting to think there isn't a way to do that."

"I've tried to leave LA with my daughter. These gangs don't want me gone, they want me dead. They're not going to touch her, though. If I could figure out how to get in touch with my sister, I'd send Sasha to her until I figure out how to get out of this life I'm living…"

"I am sorry about Tori. Seems like she just fell off the grid…" It was suspicious how Tori vanished in the way she did. At least since the wedding, there was no trace of Tori anywhere, and the woman hadn't even given Trina much of a head's up. The last time they saw each other, the only warning Tori gave was that it may 'be a while' before they saw each other again.

"Maybe for the best. Makes it hard for the gangs to find her. They're trying to use my daughter against me, I'm not going to let them do the same with Tori. I'm convinced my sister's the way out of this, and I've said it once, but I'm going to get Sasha to safety even if it kills me."

Roger smiled at her and looked to the young child focused on her stuffed toy. "You do love that little girl, she loves you. I can only imagine Jesse if he were still around, probably would spend every day bragging about his daughter."

"Probably." She leaned back in the couch and closed her eyes. "I still think about them, you know. Jesse, and even Sinjin. Five years…is a long time to be living this life." Her eyes opened and drifted towards Roger. "Who's threatening my child now?"

"A Lieutenant in the Dunham gang. I've received word that he plans to abduct her to lure you out with a ransom." She scoffed out her irritation and looked away. Roger pat his knees and sat up straight. "Want me to deal with him?"

"Please. I don't want that person's name to come up again."

"Okay. You and Sasha staying inside tonight?"

"I was thinking of taking her to the movies and dinner, spending the night out on town with my girl, but I think we'll stay in. Too risky going out there anymore." All the town had been reduced to was just a cesspool of violence and filth. A stewing pot of shit that someone needed to wipe off the map. Roger nodded and began towards the door. Sasha turned and waved him goodbye

With that, Sasha returned to the couch and leaned her back up against Trina's side as she threw her legs onto the couch. Trina gazed down with pride at her child and leaned over, kissing her on the top of her head.

She lifted her eyes towards the ceiling and exhaled slowly. _"God I know I haven't spoken to you in a long time. A very long time…and I am sorry. The life I've lived, I know it isn't good of me. I don't know what the future holds, but please…don't let my daughter pay for my mistakes. If there's any salvation left, I don't care what happens to me so long as she's safe…If you can forgive my mistakes, please do so, but don't let her be the one to pay for my sins."_ She felt Sasha move into her side and looked down to see the girl asleep and clutching her bunny to her chest. Her heart skipped a beat as she reached over and swept Sasha's bangs from her eyes. "My little angel…The one thing about all this chaos that isn't broken, or damaged, or corrupted. Momma won't let anything happen to you..."

* * *

So there's quite a mess to sorta out, and with just a few chapters left. I wonder if Trina will be able to find her sister or find a way to safety before it's too late. Though, it may very well be. What can possibly save this town?


	54. The Unbeatable Gang

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 54 (The Unbeatable Gang)

Stars and badges glinted in the sun as four followed two older men the office of America's most powerful man. _Hail to the Chief_ played from a practicing marching band in a nearby room. The American flag flew proudly on either side of the door, and behind President Jim Bannister. The man was standing tall at his desk, his brown eyes gazing out at the Army General and head of the FBI. His thick eyebrows were placed flat over his eyes, just inches away from his short curly brown, graying hair. The bristles of his moustache blew out as he breathe d from his nose and kept his stern expression.

The Army General was a balding man of sixty and he wore his formal military uniform. The Head of the FBI was a man of fifty-eight. He had thick grey hair and a stubbly goatee. Both men sternly saluted the president, followed by the four behind them. President Bannister locked his wrists behind his waist and studied the four.

The two FBI agents were somewhat young looking, with at least a year's worth of experience in the field. They both had long brown hair, we wearing shades, and full formalwear with FBI badges hanging inside their loose coats. The two with the General were separate in ranks. One bore the badge of a Major. He was tall and with a brown buzz cut and strong form. The woman beside him had short blonde curls and bore the badge of a First Lieutenant.

"General Vance and Director Lunsford. You know in any situation I would normally not issue an order so strenuous." President Banister walked around his desk, bowing his head slightly. He looked towards a framed photo on the wall of the Thirty-fourth President of the United States. "Never since the days of the President Eisenhower has a President ordered the military into a city, and I cannot name a time where the FBI has been ordered to flush out a city's entire police department. Though I have considered your propositions." He turned to the troops and remained calm. "I did not _fathom_ having to do such a task."

He pressed his lips together and looked to the two agents and two soldiers. "These are the men and women you've chosen to lead the assault?"

"My agents personally requested this mission," Director Lunsford replied, "They will be aided by the most experienced in the field, however. I will oversee all activity." President Bannister hummed silently and turned his attention to the General. "Your Major will lead these three, I presume?" For the first time, the FBI and the Military had to work together to cleanse a city.

"Yes sir."

"We have lost control of Los Angeles, and it can be considered an act of domestic terrorism, this citywide takeover." He paced the floor with a slow gait and still held strong form. His deep voice seemed to echo off the walls and his eyebrows dipped towards the center of his brow. "The nation is in distress. This war against crime has all on edge in fear of national overthrow. In order to prevent chaos, to prevent _anarchy_, I must issue an order to purge Los Angeles of its city crime organizations and to purge the Los Angeles Police Department of corruptions. This act will prevent other crime syndicates from feeling that they too can overthrow their homes. For if this threat is not neutralized now as it is in one city, it will only grow!" He stopped before them and turned, pounding a fist into his palm. "We must stop the spread of this disease before it tears the very fabric of our nation apart!"

"Now. I have selected you, General Vance, as you have a personal touch to LA. You were born and raised there, were you not?"

"Yes sir. I had a daughter who was victim of the crime in that town." The four troops looked to the old general with respect and understanding. "I am ready to send my men into the city. Give the order and I will cleanse it."

"Director Lunsford, do you have any plan of action?" Director Lunsford nodded firmly and stared the president in the eyes.

"I intend a full sweep. I will station my men and women in LA and we will perform a full replenishment of the town's criminal justice system." He swept his hand through his hair and moved his wrists behind his back. "City Hall will also have to be mandated, as there are reports of corruption all the way to Mayor Brandon Grant." President Bannister nodded as Lunsford motioned to General Vance. "With the military, we will locate all hideouts and strongholds of the criminal organizations. We will attempt to rehabilitate their leaders, but we will dispatch resisting enemies by any means necessary." The man turned to his female agents and gave them respectful nods. "Agents Brown and Kimball, as I said, will lead the charge alongside myself. Agent Brown has detailed maps of all information obtained regarding the enemies that have overtaken Los Angeles…"

Agent Brown saluted and swept her hand away. Her eyes peered out from beneath her bangs and she spoke with authority and swiftness. "Currently the strongest organization are the Black Knights. They rose to power about three years ago with the defeat of the Scrapperz and the Cravens. However, other such gangs as the Dunham Gang have risen up to power as well." Agent Brown removed a poster from a cylindrical canister she was holding and set it down on the President's desk. It revealed all the gangs, as well as names of officers and city board officials that were either on gangs or receiving money from gangs. "It's reported that the LAPD officers receive pay from the Walkens gang, the Toshes, the Fritzes, and Sung Ho gangs. These five are the biggest threats to the city of Los Angeles. In total, we believe there are fifteen gangs left." Her face tensed as she lifted up her eyes. President Bannister tapped his chin, listening earnestly to the surefire plans. "Our plan of action will be to strike out their high ranks and forcibly remove and rehabilitate all high ranking members if possible. We will order officers from neighboring communities with loyal track records to make their moves to Los Angeles where they will replace the corrupt. We will also place new recruits into the ranks."

"A good, bold plan." She rolled up the poster as President Bannister moved behind his chair and placed a firm hand to the back of it. "I am working with Governor Chancy of California. We will begin to put forth executive legislation to control and combat the crime wave overtaking Los Angeles. If we strike them out now, it should discourage other national cities."

Already highly populated towns such as Dallas and Houston TX, New York City, NY, Pittsburg, PN, and Miami, FL were experiencing a slow rise in crime inspired by Los Angeles. If something was not done, then all of America would become a very dark place. Thus, this matter was forcing the President's hand, though he did not wish to do this. It was for the best.

President Bannister's hand closed up and he turned swiftly, holding his patient expression despite his anger at the situation. "If we cannot control the crime in our own nation, what will that say to our foreign allies and enemies? We cannot be viewed as a weak nation without control, otherwise we will be made fodder of by China, Korea, Russia! I cannot have this."

"Yes sir!" They triumphed. General Vance saluted once more and nodded firmly. "The US Army as well as the FBI will begin the raid and purification of Los Angeles. We will evacuate innocents if possible."

The President faced the window and grasped his wrists once more behind his back and gazed firmly at the lawn outside. His voice was strong and firm. His eyes softened and the lids slowly sealed over. "Not a president since Eisenhower…"

Arriving in LA, Agent Brown led the charge into the headquarters of the Police Chief. She rode in with ferocity. Her head was held high, her hair flew behind her with the swift moving breeze. She walked in proper form, and her black shades hid the aggravation in her eyes. Agent Kimball followed with Director Lunsford and one other agent.

Police Chief Wilson stood from his desk, surrounded by three high ranking officers. Several police officers watched from the lobby outside, all curious to see what was going on. His eyes widened as Agent Brown flashed her FBI badge and identification card. "Chief Wilson, under orders of the FBI and the United States Military, you are hereby relieved of duty." A collective gasp fell over the officers in the back as Chief Wilson began to pale. "The FBI will be seizing control of the LAPD under orders of President Jim Bannister."

Director Lunsford extended his hand, glaring sharply at the man. "Your badge and gun, sir. You no longer work for the Los Angeles Police Department, and will be placed under arrest on charges of extortion, fraud, and criminal activity." His eyes drifted to the officers nearby and he snapped her fingers. "You as well men." The officers murmured to each other and did as said, unsure exactly of what was happening. "We will explain everything soon enough."

Soon came in a matter of hours as Director Lunsford addressed the city and press from the very wooden podium that Chief Vega gave his speech many years ago. Agents Brown and Kimball stood at his sides behind him, overlooking the crowd. "As you know by now, the President has issued an executive order allowing both the FBI and the US Military to take control of this city. We are here to purge this city of its gang warfare. We have the names and locations of all organizations and their leaders in this city. We will be performing evacuations, but bear in mind that the military has sealed off all exits from this city. You will not be able to leave without a thorough investigation. We do this to avoid letting the criminals slip away."

The crowd began to talk amongst themselves, curious as to whether this was really happening or if it could be truly allowed. Director Lunsford lifted his hand, silencing them. "We are currently purging the LAPD and City Hall of its corruption. Understand this has always been a last resort, that it has come to this is a symbol that we have left our nation's crime unchecked for far too long. It is now our _top priority_. For the safety of you, our citizens, and Americans from coast to coast. America will not fall to this crime wave, America will stand strong! Los Angeles will stand strong, California will survive and America shall triumph as always."

Agents Brown and Kimball guided police out of the station, forcing every single officer to drop their badges. This was happening all across the town in every district. Director Lunsford's speech and orders were clear as they played over and over in the minds of every officer.

"If you have been working with the Los Angeles police department within the Lost five years, give up your badges. You will no longer work. If evidence of corruption has been found, you may be charged and fined. All officers of the law will now be required to hand in proof and history of all payments made to the officer in question via checks, cash, or cards. Any officer found with history of receiving payment from criminal persons or organizations will henceforth be arrested and tried in a federal court of law."

At City Hall, The California Governor stripped Mayor Louis Grant of his duty. Along with the Mayor went the City Attorney, the Fire Chief, the City Controller, and several officials.

The police stations slowly filled with officers and FBI agents from other regions in the state and nation. "You may be asked to uproot and make a move to Los Angeles, you cannot turn down this order. You will fill the LAPD for at least at year's time. A new interim Chief will be placed, as with all city officials, until suitable replacements can be found."

The city borders were, as said, closed off by military troops. By executive order, in order to fight the growing crime wave, the City of Los Angeles was now under quarantine. The only ones that could get out were the people with clean backgrounds and no ongoing criminal activity. Even if there was hint of association to those involved in gang activity, a citizen was unable to leave and all citizens would be restricted to their homes and under watch of the FBI.

This time, America's politicians meant business, and the entire country was watching. The fate of LA would determine whether gangs in other major cities would rise or shrink. One thing was certain, employment in the law enforcement as well as legal occupations was now on the rise from many Americans wishing to support this war on crime.

* * *

So we see now how LA shall be dealt with. Those FBI agents will be dealing with a great majority of gang leaders. What are your thoughts on this chapter?


	55. A Mother's Resolve

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 55 (A Mother's Resolve)

Trina drove Sasha out to the preschool and stopped in the parking lot. The girl sank down in her seat and Trina looked over, concerned her daughter was sinking from view for a reason. "Is everything okay baby?" Sasha shook her head and pointed to a basketball court on the side of the building's fenced in recess yard. The fence around the kids' playground was a wire fence, so highly visible.

"I don't want you to go home mommy, because I'm scared to be here. They scare me." Her heart strained and she looked up to the court, not seeing anyone. "Sweetie, I don't see anyone." Teenagers and older people must play on the court during the day when she wasn't around.

"Bad men watching me play for days now." Trina locked her jaw tight and narrowed her eyes at the court. Were there gang members that hung out here? Her daughter was easily recognizable because she was always with her, but that was the problem. "They have weird colors on their arms and are always wearing green shirts with no sleeves." She tried to visualize the men and come to a conclusion, they sounded vaguely familiar.

_Viperz_. The Viperz were an incredibly small time gang that tattooed their arms with snakes and wore green muscle shirts over baggy black pants. They were also one of the most prolific anti-Knights gangs in the city. Were they planning on hurting her daughter? Anger shot out as she curled her fingers around the steering wheel.

She turned her lips into a smile and moved her arm around Sasha's shoulders, hugging her close. "It's okay dear, Mommy will take care of it. I'll stay at the school today. If anyone's watching you, I'll put a stop to them." _No one_ would come near her baby if she had something to say about it. "Let me take you into class, I'll be right outside. When do they let you out on the playground?"

"Eleven and two, mommy." Trina got out of the car and walked around to Sasha in the back. Sasha put her arms around Trina's neck as she lifted her daughter out of the car. "What are you going to do, Mommy?"

"Have a little talk with your teacher, and these boys if they're around." She carried Sasha inside the school and set her down with her playmates. Sasha reached up and hugged her leg.

"Love you, momma."

"Love you too, honey." It was sad that in a few years, all this endearment might possibly be considered embarrassing for the young girl. Trina figured she may as well enjoy it while she still could, because she knew all too well what was to come in the teenage years. "Now you play nice while I go talk to your teacher."

She repositioned her purse strap on her shoulder and made her way to the woman at the other end of the room. The woman had a blonde bun and thin wire framed glasses. "Miss Lane?" The teacher looked up at her and gave her a gentle smile.

"Miss Vega, how are you? Sasha's doing fine with the other children."

"It isn't the other children I'm worried about." The woman looked confused for a moment, so Trina led her outside and pointed to the basketball court. "She says every day for the past few days there are these men that have been watching her during recess. I'd like for you to keep an eye out." The woman put her hand over her mouth and nodded.

"Yes ma'am, I understand your concern. Actually, other parents have complained too. I've asked Mike-our janitor-to get to the hardware store and get something to cover that fence up with."

"I would appreciate you getting a head start on it."

"I will. Thank you for bringing this to my attention."

"Of course." She watched the teacher move back for the school, then exhaled sharply as her eyes darkened upon the basketball court. "Some security would be nice too if all the cops in this town weren't so damned corrupt." She cracked her neck to the side and hugged a wall when she saw some people approaching the courts. "Now. How would Jesse handle this? Well his daughter…he'd probably go to town on their asses like I'm about to, so, I think we're clear on this…."

The three men looked just as Sasha had described. One was a short, lanky man with a basketball under his armpit. Another was an average sized, tall elder teen with a scar around his right eye, and the third was tall and thin as well. They had snake tattoos on their arms and were wearing green muscle shirts.

As she listened in on their conversation, it was confirmed they were a part of the Vipers. Not only were they a part of them, but they also knew Sasha and were considering a kidnapping to get to her mother. With a slight chuckle, Trina stepped around the corner, rolling up her shirt sleeves. The men looked up at her and lifted their eyebrows. "Eh, how's it going?" She stared at the man with the basketball and scoffed.

"Don't 'how's it going', me. You've been watching my daughter, and I don't like that." The men looked from one another, then laughed as they began to recognize her.

"It's Katrina, the Knight leader!"

"She knows we've been watching her kid?"

"Shit…"

Trina crossed her arms and tilted her head to the right, "I don't exactly approve. If you're trying to get to me through my child, you're going about my attention the wrong way." The man with the ball was the first to try and be brave. He let out a fierce shout and threw the ball towards her as a distraction as he ran for her.

She caught the ball and slammed it on the ground, causing it to bounce up and strike the man in the chin. As he collapsed, he let out an angry growl and pointed to her. "Take her out!" One charged at her and she leaned to the left while twisting her body to dodge a punch. She grabbed the man's arm and pulled him back, releasing to let him fall into a nearby wall.

"God they don't pay me enough to stay in this damn town." The leader shot back up and ran for her, screaming in frustration. She clenched her fists and kicked her leg up and out into his chest. "Stay on the ground if you know what's good for you!" The third man decided to make a run for her, swinging his arms inwards. She crouched low, pulled her fist back, and slammed it forward in between his legs. He howled in pain and fell over, screaming in anguish as she rose back up.

Thinking fast, she performed a back-flip and landed over the leader, smirking down as he looked up fearfully. "Now you're going to stop watching these kids, am I right?" She shook her fist as he began to whimper, but as he wasn't answering, she was only growing irritated with him. "You should answer next time." She swept her foot along the ground, striking him hard in the head. "I know you've seen the news lately. The president's orders and what the director's doing to the LAPD…" She bent over and narrowed her eyes as the man's consciousness slowly faded. "Careful, be _very_ careful. And next time-don't be sneaking around a kid with a parent that can still kick your ass."

The one remaining Viper without injury or loss of consciousness looked like he was trying to decide between being brave and going after her, or running away. Like a lioness, she moved her fiery glare to the man and slowly stepped over the leader. The man began to panic and whimper with each step she took

"Come here." She curled her finger inwards and smirked dangerously at the man. "Come here, I'm not going to hurt you…" He hesitated before moving closer to her. His breath came out in shudders as she clamped her hand down on his shoulder. "Your leader's not very smart. Would you agree?"

"U-Uh huh…"

"So you're going to be the smart guy now, correct?" He clenched his eyes and nodded vigorously. "Good. So you're not going to be hanging around here anymore, right?"

"Right."

"Okay then, because if I _ever_ see you around here again-I'm not going to be as _nice_ as I was today." She released him and the man ran away screaming. She stepped over to the Viper that was curled up and still holding his groin as he wept in pain. "Oh deal with it. I didn't even hit you that hard."

Readjusting the purse strap on her shoulder, Trina made her way back to her car. There, she would watch this area on the off chance that anyone would return. She didn't want to, but if she had to, she'd exterminate the Viperz without fail. If only they were the only gang she had to deal with. "I am surrounded by dumbasses. Everywhere I go they want a piece of me…They will not make my daughter a part of it." She dialed Roger and waited for him to answer, when he did, she spoke quickly and plainly. "Roger, the Viperz gang. A small group has been watching Sasha and the other kids at the preschool, I just took care of them for now, but can you stand watch out here sometimes? I can't be here every day and I'd rather not let these bastards come near my daughter."

"Yeah, I'll definitely watch out."

"Thank you. I knocked out two of their guys, so you may want to get down here and deal with them however you see fit."

"I will."

After school Sasha ran into Trina's arms as her mother happily scooped her up into her arms, "How was preschool today?" She tilted her head and gazed happily at her daughter. "No scary men?"

"No scary men, momma."

"Good." She drove the girl home, and waited there for Roger to head over with some further news. While waiting, Sasha climbed up to Trina's lap on the couch and curled up.

"Momma. The police aren't letting us play outside anymore." Trina ran her hand through Sasha's hair, frowning softly as her daughter looked up to her. "Why?" It was difficult to explain the now changing city to a young child, so she had to figure out how she could tell the girl what was going on.

"They're trying to protect you, baby. The President of the United States, do you know him?" Sasha gasped with delight and nodded her head quickly.

"Miss Lane told us at the preschool who the President is. She said he's trying to fix the city. What did she mean?"

"Okay." Trina turned to Sasha as the young girl crawled onto her leg and looked earnestly into her eyes. "You remember those bad men, and the people out there that Uncle Roger is always trying to keep away?"

"Yes, Mommy?"

"Well they're criminals, bad people, and they would like to hurt your mommy." Sasha gasped and threw her arms around her, protesting. "But I'm not going to let them near myself or near you baby. But see honey, they're a part of these dangerous groups and they've really affected Los Angeles to the point that President Bannister himself has decided to remove them. So the streets will, hopefully, be safe again."

Safe or not, she still worried about their future. How could she protect her daughter if people were going to be gunning for her? As long as Tori remained unlisted, and unable to be found on online sources, she'd be unable to get a hold of her sister. Not to mention, the only reason they saw Tori within the last few years was because she'd married. Both Tori and Jade had their weddings within hours of the other, which Trina thought was awesome at the time.

The front door opened up and Trina jerked her head over to see Roger entering. She sighed heavily and closed her eyes. "You realize there's a doorbell?"

"Who else knows you live here?" Roger asked with a slight chuckle. Sasha jumped up from the couch and ran over to him, hugging his legs. He pat the girl on the head and slowly walked to the couch. "So you've likely seen the news lately, Trina?"

"I have. President's finally decided to crack down on the city. Can't say I'm surprised, you know Houston and Dallas, TX are threatening to be next as far as crime waves go. Cities all over the country are on edge, so if he stops it here in LA, gangs elsewhere may realize that a citywide takeover isn't going to work."

"Yeah, but what are you going to do, Trina?" Trina looked towards Sasha and pressed her lips together.

"The only thing I can do is wait. I've been trying to find a way to keep Sasha safe and out of harm's way, but it's hard when you know the gangs have people on the outside that will still come after you…maybe when the President's people are done with their work here…"

"They've really cut down on people. Some of the other gangs _are_ falling. For instance, I just went to check on the Viperz headquarters after you told me about those people, and you know what I found?"

"What?"

"The military and the FBI were raiding their headquarters. They had people in cuffs, people on the ground, and people dead. The leader of the men himself was gunned down by that Agent-what's her name? Brown? Agent Brown….He was in a gunfight, she steps out behind him and shoots him in the back of the head. The Viperz are gone. There were a total of fifteen gangs including us, right now, there's twelve left. Some of the Knights have even been taken in, and I stayed after and overheard Agent Brown tell her partner and the director that she wants to take on the Black Knights. Apparently they have plans for the Knights." Trina tensed up as Roger leaned back in the couch. "Brown and Kimball are hardcore agents, considering they've only been in for like a year. They're pretty serious."

"Well if they do show up…" She looked for her daughter, who was now sitting in front of the television, watching a cartoon. "If they have to take me out, maybe I can convince them to save my daughter…to find Tori and let her raise Sasha up right." She did want to talk to them, maybe find a way to save herself, but then, chances were slim that these two agents would be willing to do that for her.

"Will you try to fight them if they do show up?"

"No…" She knew better than to fight, especially if it was two FBI agents. "I only want what's best for my daughter, that's all. I don't care what happens to me as long as Sasha is safe."

* * *

So Trina's still got it, but the Viperz definitely won't be messing around any longer. One thing's for certain, never mess with a mama bear, especially when she knows how to fight. Agents Brown and Kimball are closing in on the Knights. I wonder if Trina will be able to reason with them.


	56. Falling Knights

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 56 (Falling Knights)

Trina watched as the other gangs fell one by one, whether taken out in a gunfight with the Military and FBI, or arrested and thrown into a high security prison. It was reaching the point where the Knights were the last group left. She could feel her years in the life of crime closing in on her, and soon, she may very well lose her life. The other gang leaders were being gunned down, so she expected the same to happen to her.

What she needed was to know that Sasha would be okay, and that was near impossible to ensure.

Currently she was watching the President's press conference. Sasha was upstairs taking a nap. President Bannister was explaining the current situation in LA, and how the crime wave was vastly dissipating. The Black Knights were now said to be the final group left untouched, but among the last four that were still standing. The Dunham gang was still going strong, and they were the worst gang in LA. She'd spoken with Brandon Dunham many times about not falling into a gang war, but tensions were tense as if they were involved with the Scrapperz all over again.

The fact of the matter was, crime or not, the Knights had grown less criminal since she'd ousted the Scrapperz and Cravens. Then they became the biggest gang in LA, which thoroughly pissed all smaller gangs off.

"There is no protection. There is no hope." She switched off the television and gazed up at the high ceiling, closing her eyes and smiling as she thought back over the past few years of her life. "If I could go back in time…I probably wouldn't change much. Jesse, I know how much you wanted me out of this life-I just wish it were possible. Anywhere I go, gang members recognize me. Or at least, they look for me." Most of the police may not recognize her as part of the Black Knights-despite the FBI may know of her-but all gangs knew about leaders. Most likely she would be recognized as the leader from any gang across the country, so she would become an easy and susceptible target if she wasn't careful. "I have no idea how I'm going to get our daughter out of here without putting her life in danger. Jesse…you once said you wanted to get me out of here-now tell me how you're going to do it."

She heard a car from outside and looked towards the front window beside the door, frowning at the flame painted design on a hot red convertible. Several cars were following in suit. Her heart began to race as she glanced to the stairwell. "Shit. They're doing this now?"

It wasn't the black cars of the FBI, that was obvious. No, this was the Dunham gang, likely wanting to get a piece of her before the FBI did. She couldn't let them wake her daughter, and she surely couldn't fend them all off herself.

Thinking fast, she called up Roger to see if he could provide any help. "Trina, I've got problems at base," He answered in a frantic voice. Fear strained her as she rose from the couch and started for the stairs. "Rachel and I are surrounded. The military's arresting us. We'll probably be heading to a rehabilitation facility or something, we don't know yet."

"Shit! Brandon's found me. I don't know how, but he's here."

"What? You and Sasha need to get out of there!"

"I'm trying to figure out _how_."

"How'd they even find your mansion?" Roger paused and Trina heard the sound of something slamming open and crashing into the wall. Her heart dropped and her eyes moved shut. "Trina I need to go. I'm sorry…I-I don't know when I'll be able to talk to you guys again. If you make it out of this, I wish you and Sasha the best of luck."

She put her hand to her chest and tensed her muscles as she began to climb the stairs. "Roger no, no goodbyes! I'm sick of goodbyes." It wasn't as if she didn't expect this to happen, but she honestly didn't want to lose another good friend of hers. Two, counting Rachel, who was now Roger's wife and pregnant with their first child.

"Yeah, I know…Jesse would have been proud of you and of Sasha. I'm sure of it." Trina looked over her shoulder as the doorbell chimed. There was no way in hell she was going back down there. "Tough as that man was, that child would have charmed her father to death." He laughed softly and Trina paused, smiling sadly. "Well Trina, until we meet again."

"No…"

"Farewell. Take care of your daughter. You two will make it, I'm sure of it." The line disconnected, but Trina held the phone still to her ear and waited as her tears slid down her face.

Reaching the third floor, she made her way into Sasha's bedroom and smiled at Sasha's angelic face as she slept in her warm bed. The girl was laying on her back with her head turned to the right, her hair was sprawled out and her right hand was resting beside her face with her fingers curled inwards. She was breathing softly, and Trina didn't want to disturb her daughter's peaceful sleep.

She closed the bedroom door and locked it as she dialed Raven's number, hoping the girl would be able to send help. Unfortunately, it was her Lieutenant Isabel that answered. "Isabel, where's Raven? I have a problem at the mansion."

"Raven's been arrested, Trina. One of the FBI agents got her and she confessed to being your Captain. Yvonne and John have been killed also…I'm thinking about turning myself in. I'm scared, Trina. I'm scared."

"I can understand that." She winced and looked over as Sasha turned her head to the other side, groaning in her sleep. Trina prayed for God to protect them, and for Jesse and Sinjin to be their guardian angels in this. "Look. Brandon's got the Dunham gang over-I think they're going to try and take me out. I need help. Do you know the status of the other Lieutenants? Even the Captains?"

Captain Travis had been killed by the Dunham gang about a year back, and no Lieutenant had replaced him yet. Although Jared was close to that promotion, the three just didn't feel they were ready to replace the man.

"Yes. Drake and Lucy were shot while trying to aid the military in taking out one gang." Rachel's two lieutenants. Trina winced again and pushed her back to the wall, sinking down as she moved her hand to her head. "Rachel's other Lieutenant, Jacob's been arrested by the FBI. Mandy and Ray were arrested, and Jared was killed just yesterday I think-actually by the rival gang. Information extraction."

She gasped and moved her hand to her lower throat, realizing now how Brandon must have found her house. "Information ex-No!" She couldn't afford to let anyone else be killed. This wasn't the way she wanted any of them to go out. Her heart pulsed as she realized what Jesse would want done. "Listen to me. Isabel."

"Y-Yes?"

"Just…turn yourself in, okay? Turn yourself in, tell_ all _the warriors and soldiers to turn themselves in. From this point on-from this point on the Black Knights are done." The woman gasped in shock while Trina slowly rose up, watching her baby stir in her slumber. "You tell the FBI, you tell the Military that it's over. The Black Knights have conceded."

"T-Trina? Are you sure?"

"This…is what Jesse would want. He'd also want his daughter to be safe." There had to be a place that Brandon couldn't find Sasha. He did have a safe zone in his house, a closet in his old bedroom that had a built in elevator that went down through the walls of the mansion and opened up beneath the house. A basement that had a padlocked door that could only be accessed by a code. "You tell them what I'm about to tell you, okay? I'm…I'm going to take out Brandon Dunham while I still can."

"What about Sasha?"

"She's going to be fine. I will protect her. I fully expect to make it out of here but just in case something goes wrong, then there are a couple things you need to do. You tell the agents that she will be in the basement, accessed by elevator in Jesse's bedroom closet-his bedroom is the farthest door in the right hallway on the third floor. When they get down there, they'll find a door that needs an access code. That code is 022891. Got that?"

"022891? Jesse's birthday?"

"Yeah."

"Okay…I will…What's down there?"

"Sasha. I'm going to put her there where Brandon's men won't be able to find her. There's still a chance of them finding her, so that's why I'm going to fight them. Keep them distracted…You will tell the agents and military that my daughter is to be taken to my sister."

"Trina, are you sure this is right?"

"I have to do this…" She thought she'd been preserving his memory by keeping the gang alive, but in reality he couldn't have cared any less about the Black Knights if he tried. "As for taking out Brandon, yeah, I'm sure this is right. I'm not going to cower while waiting for Brandon to find me. I don't know if anyone knows about Jesse's basement or not, and if so, I do _not_ want the Dunham gang getting in."

"Okay…please be okay, Trina."

"I will do what I can."

She carried her daughter to the basement in silence as Sasha hugged one arm around her neck and rubbed her eye. "Momma? Where are we going?" The girl yawned softly as the elevator carried them down. "When did we get this?"

"It's always been here. Something your daddy had installed years ago. It's a safe area." She punched the access code into the door and walked inside where she set Sasha on brown leather couch. Sasha gazed up at her with heavy concern and worry. Seeing the look in her daughter's eyes, Trina began to tear up. "Baby. Momma's going to be right back…"

"What's wrong mommy?"

"There are some bad men in the house…" Sasha gasped out as Trina knelt beside her and set a gentle hand upon her daughter's. "Mommy's going to go take care of them, okay? I want you to be safe." Brandon and his men would tear the house apart trying to find them, she knew the level of his relentlessness. Nothing like Beck's, sure, but he was just as ruthless. She'd have to take the trash out herself.

"Mommy no, don't leave me." Sasha hugged her and began to quiver. "What if-what if something happens."

"Nothing will happen sweetheart." Trina smiled gently and kissed the top of Sasha's head, her voice lowered to a gentle soothing whisper. "We'll see your Aunt Victoria soon though. I promise."

"Really mommy?"

"Yes." Sasha curled up on the couch and started to cry.

"I'm scared mommy. I don't want you to go fight those scary bad men, they might hurt you."

"They won't do anything to me." She was going to be back, this wasn't without plan. She had to protect her daughter and her home at all costs. "Even if something happens, you'll be safe. The police know the code to get in now and they'd take you to see Aunt Victoria, but don't you worry. Your momma's going to be just fine."

"I love you…"

"Love you too baby. Rest, and I'll be with you soon." Sasha frowned as Trina leaned over her and kissed her head. In a hushed voice, she sang to her daughter a gentle lullaby. Sasha shifted her body and slowly closed her eyes, smiling as she curled her fingers around Trina's hand. Sasha's body relaxed and she hummed softly as she drifted back into slumber.

Finishing the lullaby, Trina rose up and sniffled. Her eyes drifted to the doors and her heart pounded in her chest. "Momma's going to get those men out of this house…I'll be back…"

* * *

The last gang fight, but something's definitely coming up. Trina should be fine, it's Brandon I'd be worried for. The Knights have fallen though, pretty soon mother and daughter will have to fare against this mess unless they can get out somehow. Maybe getting in touch with one of the FBI agents leading the charge? I wonder how that'd go over.


	57. A Debt Owed

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 57 (A Debt Owed)

Trina wiped her eyes and stepped out into the living room. She had a proof vest on beneath Jesse's old leather coat that hung loosely over her body. She had a rifle and shotgun strapped to her back, and two pistols in holsters attached to her hip.

Brandon busted the door down and was waiting near the couch as his men searched the house. When his eyes fell onto her, he tucked his lip into a cold smirk. "There you are, Trina." She heard several guns clicking and looked up to see his men hovering over the stairwell with their weapons. "Looks like you and I are the last of the leaders in LA."

Her face turned to smugness as she arched her right eyebrow, "Not officially, and technically, I'm no longer affiliated with the Black Knights. I'm taking my daughter and I'm leaving." Out the window, she saw a black corvette. It didn't look familiar and wasn't one of the Dunham's, but she thought nothing of it.

"Not affiliated?" He laughed and started to circle her. She watched him closely, hanging her right hand inches away from her pistol. "You think you're going to be safe if you just disband your gang and leave? People everywhere hate you because of how much power you have. They hate you because you were the chick that screwed the most powerful gang leader in LA and had his kid." She clenched her fist and flared her nostrils.

"You'll stay away from Sasha. I'll make sure you stay away, if it's the last thing I do."

"Jesse Klein's bastard child. You know how many gangs around the country would pay to see you two dead?" Trina growled and inched her hand towards her gun. She knew she was in a situation where if she fired the first shot, every gun trained on her right now would fire on her.

"What kind of sick man wants to murder an innocent child. If you want to kill anyone, then go after me. I'm the one that screwed up my life, not Sasha. I'm the one that made mistakes. My daughter deserves to live." Her eyes drifted around the room, but there was no place to duck for cover. She could backtrack to the kitchen, no one was in there yet. "I know the things I did were wrong, don't make my daughter pay the price."

"The things you did? Hardly!" Brandon slowly removed his pistol, and Trina glued her eyes to it. "In the last few years you've become a fucking disgrace to gang members everywhere by cutting off drug supplies and just basically turning your little gang into a fucking community unit! It's like you're some sort of righteous, pompous bitch that decides you're going to be less of a violent gang and more of a-I don't know what the word is."

"Because I'm more concerned with trying to do right for my daughter, asshole!"She whipped out her gun and shot at Brandon, shooting the gun out of his hand. With that, she bolted for the kitchen, diving forward just in time to miss being gunned down by the many weapons glued to her. "Shit!"

Trina rolled to the side and looked back, panting heavily and whining as she tried to think of some way to get out of this alive. These men were all over her house! She pushed up and ran for the other doorway leading out of the kitchen and for the back stairwell.

Gunfire exploded behind her, but she ignored it and kept running. "You're not getting anywhere, Vega! I'll search this whole house if I have to, you and that kid are dead!" She stopped behind a wall and pulled back the hammer on her pistol.

"You will leave my daughter out of this!" Thinking fast, she stepped into the doorway and aimed forward, pulling back on the trigger. Brandon jumped to the side and grabbed his shoulder, wincing as the bullet nicked him. "Hey Brandon! Remember Beckett? From the Scrapperz? He was harder than you ever were, and perhaps less of an idiot."

"Fuck you, bitch! He was nothing!"

"No?" She narrowed her eyes and fired another shot, grazing his left arm. He staggered back and aimed his gun towards her. She ducked back behind the wall and flinched as the bullet struck the doorframe. Her chest heaved as she clenched her eyes shut. "Beck Oliver was the only person to ever get _close_ to Jesse, and the only gang leader...the one...who killed him." Her eyes shot open and rage fired up in her eyes as she moved back into sight and fired two more shots.

Brandon leapt behind nearby wall and Trina moved back, checking the ammo on her pistol. "Shit. Empty." She tossed the gun to the side and pulled out her second pistol, then made her way up the stairwell.

She could hear gunfire still and was confused as to what his men were shooting at, but she wasn't going anywhere near the living room while all the gunmen were out there. "Get back here!" Running up the steps, she heard a bullet breeze past her head. She froze and looked back over her shoulder to see Brandon running up behind her.

_"Goddamn it Jesse! Why didn't you talk me out of this lifestyle? Oh wait, you tried!"_ She reached back and fired multiple shots at Brandon, then rounded onto the second floor. Her muscles burned as they carried her into a nearby, former game room. The second floor of her mansion she'd cleared out completely when Jesse passed. There wasn't anything on the second floor worth keeping in the first place, and she needed to sell some of the furniture to make some money.

"You can't run forever, Katrina. Even if I don't kill you now, someone else will." She ducked into a closet space and pressed her back against the door, breathing in sharply as she listened to the footsteps in the room. "Whether it's the fucking FBI, the Military, or another gang leader. Your days are numbered. I guess Jesse didn't tell you that?"

"Of course he did," she muttered under her breath. "All he wanted was me out of this life." She moved her hand to the doorknob and stepped behind the wall before quietly turning the wall and pushing the door opened. The second it was fully open, two gunshots flew past her. She stepped out, raised her gun and fired off another shot at Brandon. He ducked behind some box, growling angrily as Trina held her gun onto the box and slowly sidestepped towards the doorway. "You're not going to get me, Brandon. Don't think you're going to. I'll take anyone on that threatens my baby."

"Look here." Brandon slowly rose and she pulled the hammer back, growling vehemently while backing out of the room. He followed her out, keeping his weapon pointed towards the ground. "It's not your fault. Jesse may not have been a bad guy, maybe not to you or those in the Knights. But every single gang member from here to the fucking east coast knows his name. The Black Knights are famous for being vigilantes, they're also known for doing small time crimes. Jesse was more known for taking over and stomping out other gangs. Gangs _feared_ the man, and practically cheered when they learned someone finally killed him." Brandon ran his hand through his hair and started to chuckle. "Like a fucking modern day Jesse James."

"You shut up." She already knew all this about him, but she wasn't concerned with it. Her eyes narrowed as her hands trembled and tears ran from her eyes. She didn't like someone using Jesse's memory against her, tainting him. "Jesse was more man than you'll ever know. Don't touch my daughter for his crimes or my crimes."

"Well regardless. I intend to kill you _mainly_ because you're hated by all the other gangs. Why? You're associated with Jesse. That kid's got his blood in him, and he was inside you. A lover, I'm sure." She continued to back up, expecting to come up to a second stairwell she could climb. "So guilt by association, unfortunately, and before the fucking FBI wipes all of us out, I'm going to take _you_ out."

She started to pull the trigger, but before she could, she heard three gunshots from behind the man. Brandon jerked three times, his eyes wide with shock. "Too late," a voice said as he dropped to his knees. Behind him, Agent Brown had stepped out of a nearby bedroom. She had a long black trench coat that circled her legs. Her shades hid her eyes, and her brown hair framed her narrow face. Trina instantly recognized the woman, the wife of New York's hard-hitting prosecuting attorney, Benjamin Brown.

"Victoria." She breathed out slowly as Tori removed her shades and looked back at her. "It's been so long."

"Yeah. You've got a daughter, a mansion, and a whole gang at your fingertips." Tori lowered her gun and kicked Brandon's body sideways onto the ground. She then stepped over him and moved closer to Trina, frowning into her eyes. "I've missed you."

'You're an FBI agent."

"Yeah, this is my big break too. I lead the charge under the Director to clean up LA, I get my name recognized and I move up in the world." Trina felt her heart shoot up and she started to lower her own gun. This was her proudest moment, her sister getting her big break, but at the same time, it devastated her.

"Y-You must be here to kill me then. I can't imagine...finding out your sister was involved in this life."

"I don't care." Tori breathed in slowly and looked back at Brandon's body. "I mean I care, but at the same time, I forgive you." Trina was shocked at her sister's words. Her heart steadily increased in beats as her body began to shake. Looking into Tori's eyes, Trina was startled to see a loving glint. She wanted to scoff, to ask how in the hell Tori would possibly 'forgive' her.

"You find out your sister's been in a gang all these years, and you _forgive me?!"_

"Yes. That's why I came." Tori rubbed her forehead and sighed heavily as Trina began to tremble, unable to comprehend. Her knees started to buckle as she slowly shook her head, scoffing at the girl.

"You're shitting me. Tori-I've done bad things. _Terrible_ things. You should fucking hate me." Tori's eyes flashed with anger and her voice rose, causing Trina to flinch with fear.

"Do not tell me who to hate!" For a second, she saw independence and strength, something she'd never seen in her little sister. "I can hate the people that killed our dad, I can hate what Beck was doing, and all that stuff, but you're my sister. I always said I would never hate you, and I don't to this day." Tori holstered her gun and crossed her arms, taking another step towards Trina. "When I found out you were leading the Knights, I was devastated. I didn't understand why you would never tell me that. Was I angry? Yes, I was pissed. But then I realized, you did all you could to survive. If that meant joining some gang, that's what happened. It's in the past now, and no matter what, I never stopped loving my big sister. I wish you would have told me sooner, but yes, I forgive you. That's what I took this mission for. That, and the fact that this will put my name out there."

Trina was moved to tears by her sister, and half tempted to hug her. "I'm proud of you, Tori. You've…really grown up." She bowed her head and closed her eyes. "I've done a lot of shit in my life, Tori. Things I should never have done. Jesse wanted me out of this life, and I tried-I tried to do what's best for Sasha too."

"Your daughter."

Trina put her hands to her chest, wavering in her voice. "She _needs _me. Just like I need her."

"I did look over the file the FBI has on you. There isn't much. Not even half the shit that all these other gang leaders have." Tori extended her arms and pulled Trina into a hug, taking her by surprise. Trina's eyes widened and tears welled up as a single sob left her lips.

"Tori?"

"I love you Trina, I always will." Tori pulled back and smiled into her eyes. There was a peacefulness to her, and a gentleness that she remembered from years before. She smiled back at her and breathed in slowly.

"I love you too. How-How did you even know where to find my mansion?"

"It wasn't easy, but then, one of the Knights lieutenants Isabel turned herself in saying the Knights were disbanded. You know, it could be potentially dangerous for you out on the streets right now. You and Sasha."

"It is. I'm scared for my baby girl."

"Where is she right now? That basement Isabel told us about?"

"Yes."

"All right. I'll get her out." Trina's heart pulsated and she took a slight backwards step. She was curious what everyone else in Tori's life was up to, if Jade was still around or if Sam and Cat were anywhere.

She didn't know whether to be ecstatic or not with her sister's presence. She didn't deserve Tori's forgiveness, or her love, but she was grateful to have it. "Hey Tori? What's going on with everyone else? Jade, Sam, Cat…do you have any idea?" Tori laughed happily and quickly nodded.

"Jade's still my partner in crime. She works the FBI with me." Trine grinned as Tori bounced on her heels. "Agent Jade Kimball. Sam married Cat's brother and joined the army after college. Major Tyler Valentine and First Lieutenant Sam Valentine. Usually they frown on putting married couples together on a job, but this one was a personal one for them. Cat's well too, she's actually working as a military nurse."

"Really?"

"Yes." Tori held onto her forearms, still smiling into her eyes. "I have a lot to show you, and I'm really looking forward to seeing Sasha." Trina took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"Tori, you're right it is dangerous for me and Sasha. According to Brandon, every gang leader in this country-which might be a bit of a stretch-is gunning for me. I-I don't know what to do, it's the reason I couldn't leave this life! I'll be honest, I am scared…No matter where I go, as long as I'm alive, they're going to try and kill me. Or Sasha..."

"I know you are." Tori frowned and started to bow her head. "I heard the whole spiel too." Trina snapped her fingers, remembering the car she saw outside. It must have been Tori's! But then she realized, Tori wouldn't be alone. All the gunshots must have been Tori and her partner, but then, where was Jade? "I'll see you when you wake..."

"Wake?" She heard a footstep behind her and started to turn. A shot rang out and Trina's eyes widened as a jolt of electricity shot through her. Her body went numb and she started to drop to her knees as her eyes flew to Jade, who'd just climbed the flight of stairs. As she collapsed, she found her consciousness drifting away.

Minutes later, Tori was straight faced and busy ordering Military and FBI agents to clean up the mansion of the bodies. Holding Sasha in her arms, the girl kept hugging her neck and buried her face into Tori's shoulder. Tori pat Sasha's back and slowly walked to her car.

"Where's Momma?" Sasha cried. "Where's mommy? She said she'd be back for me! I want my mommy!"

"Shh, it's okay Sasha."

"No Aunt Victree, I want mommy!" Tori chuckled softly and carefully buckled Sasha into the backseat. Sasha tried to squirm free to run back into the mansion, but Tori didn't want the child getting in the way of the military and FBI. "Mommy needs me! Mommy! _Mommy!"_ Sasha wiped her eyes and began to sob, then kicked at the chair while Jade walked up behind Tori.

"Your mom's safe now," Jade said in a quiet voice. Sasha looked up in confusion. "You'll see her again soon, don't worry." The young girl whined and crossed her arms. Tori drew a heavy sigh as she stood up straight and looked back to her friend. "Everything's good to go. I guess there's just one more gang left, then we can all get home."

"Small time?"

"They call themselves the Crest Street Mafia, and yeah, they're small time."

"Good." She breathed in slowly and gazed sadly at Sasha. "I just want to go home, and get Sasha someplace safe."

"Well we're almost done, Tori. LA will be clean soon, afterwards it's just recovery." Even after this, all the major cities in the US would now have military and FBI agents stationed to keep watch for a while in order to make sure gangs didn't get the idea to try and take over. "Let's go...Finish the job."

"Cat knows the drill from here, I presume? Sam too, she's got her job?"

"Yes. Director Lunsford and General Vance are on board. I know it was hard, but it's the only way." Tori moved to the driver's side of the car and shook off her rising emotions. "She saved our lives from Beck when she sent us to Baylor. There's a debt owed...It had to happen this way, without warning, you know her pride would have tried talking you out of-"

"Yeah, I know. Just-stop talking and let's get back." She eyed the body bag being lifted into the military paramedic van, then started up her car. "Just a little longer."

* * *

A cliffhanger before the final chapter, so I'm going to give you the final chapter.


	58. A Sister's forgiveness

Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 58 (A Sister's Forgiveness)

Trina opened her eyes and shot up in a cold sweat, screaming and panting as she felt her body. Was she alive? Her eyes darted around the white room she was in, and a whimper fell from her trembling lips. She had a white gown on and was laying on some sort of hospital bed. Her body felt like it had taken a hit from some high voltage lightning. "W-Where am I? Sasha? Sasha!" Trina grew panicked as she cried out, trying to find her daughter. "Someone help! I can't see my baby! I don't know where my baby is!"

"Whoa! Hold on, she's awake!" Just then a woman with short red hair came rushing into the room. She had a clipboard and a military nurse's uniform on. Trina's eyes widened when she vaguely recognized her as Cat. Now she knew she wasn't dead, but she was still in shock and demanded to know what happened.

"The last thing I remember…" She rubbed her forehead and groaned softly. "Jade shot me with something. I-I should be dead." Cat began checking her eyes with a light device, then started to check her body, which felt highly uncomfortable. "C-Cat I know it's you. What are you doing?"

"Standard protocol. I'm just making sure you're doing well. Don't worry about what you were shot with, it's a new grade weapon for the FBI and even Military. Um...still being beta tested..." Trina raised an eyebrow and scratched her hair. She didn't care so much as she cared about the whereabouts of her daughter. "The gun delivers a paralyzing shock to the body that feels almost like a real bullet. It _can_ give the appearance of death, which is why I'm checking to be sure that your body-as well as vital organs-are still functioning at full capacity." Trina rubbed her arm and looked nervously to the side. She wasn't sure how to react to the news, and was now scared out of her mind for what was going to happen.

"So, what are you saying? I-I don't really understand. What was the point?" Cat pointed to a television on the wall and Trina slowly followed her gaze. Her hand flew to her chest when she saw what was her body in a body bag. _Katrina Vega-leader of the Black Knights was shot and killed during a fight with the Dunham gang which ended with the arrival of FBI agents and military personnel. _

It took a minute for the shock to hit her at full force. She began to stammer as she turned her gaze to Cat. "I-I'm dead?" Cat giggled and held her hands at her waist while smiling hugely.

"You're dead, but you're not dead."

"For all intents and purposes, she is dead." Trina flinched as Director Lunsford entered with General Vance. She turned to them, wishing still to know where her daughter was. "I've had the opportunity to look into your file, Miss Vega." Trina scrunched her nose as Director Lunsford smiled. "And yes, the FBI has a file on you. We had a file on Jesse Klein as well. You don't have that big of a rap sheet. A bunch of small time crimes and vigilante acts."

"All I cared about was taking care of my daughter." She narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. "Speaking of which, _where is my daughter!"_

"Relax." The man lifted his hand and smiled calmly. "Sasha is safe. You will be reunited with her soon enough, as well as Agent Brown."

"You remember Sam? Sasha's with her!" Cat informed her of the news and Trina immediately shot a glance at her. She wasn't sure whether this was a good thing or not, but at least it meant Sasha was out of harm's way. "You'll see her soon enough, I'm sure. Citizens can't leave the city, but military and FBI personnel can. Sam's driving her out of LA right now." Her heart stopped and she grew distraught.

"What?! No, I want to see my baby now!" A jolt ran through her body and she screamed out in pain. Cat let out a gasp while running to the monitor to check on whatever was being viewed on the screen. "What the hell!"

"Your body still needs time to recover from the shot," General Vance walked over to her and set his hand on the foot of the bed. "The shot masked your vital organs, slowing your heart temporarily and draining you of your color. It's going to take a little time to recover, so we need to monitor your progress before we send you off. Plus, we're making sure to finish the rest of the work in LA."

She groaned softly and fell back onto the pillow on her bed. Her chest ached with pain, and it felt like someone was bashing a hammer into her head. She couldn't deal with this aggravation or stress, but she'd have to try. "What's going to happen to me? Tell me, please…and what's going to happen to my baby girl? I-I'm not going to lose her am I? Please tell me I'm not going to lose my baby!"

"You aren't going to lose your daughter." The General's forehead wrinkled and lines formed around his lip corners as his cheeks pulled his lips into a smile. "Besides, that is Jesse's daughter, I would not separate that child from her mother." Trina looked to the General with shock and curiosity. "You named her after my daughter. I'm honored and softened by that."

"Whoa. Y-You're…"

"Yes." The man walked over to the computer desk Cat was sitting at and picked up a folder. "By the way, this is everything the FBI has on you, as well as what they have in their computer systems."

"It is now considered information only accessible by me," Director Lunsford remarked, "And I have the power to do what I so please with it." Trina watched the man take the folder and move to a nearby shredder disguised as a trashcan. He dropped the paperwork into the shredder and Trina's eyes begin to widen further. "Oops, I seem to have lost your criminal record." Her eyes welled up with tears as her heart pounded harder in her chest. She started to whimper as the Director turned fully towards her. "You have a new lease on life, Miss Vega. I suggest you don't waste it."

"W-Why? I don't deserve it…what have I done to deserve this?" Or hell, was she really not getting a chance? Someone else planned this? Tori perhaps?

Tori's voice answered and Trina snapped her gaze to the door where her sister was standing tall. "Because you've suffered more than enough." She caught her breath and clutched her chest, sobbing gently as Tori walked to her and hugged her neck. "You deserve another chance. I mean yeah I had to convince Director Lunsford and General Vance, but…once they saw the good there was in you, they were all for giving you another chance."

"Good? What _good_ is there? Tori I-I did so many bad things."

"And it doesn't _matter_." Tori moved back, setting her hands to Trina's shoulders. Tears fell along Trina's cheeks as she bowed her head, weeping in astonishment. "You want to know what's good? That angel that Sam is driving to the airport in San Diego." Trina's heart skipped a beat and she lifted her gaze back up to Tori. "Sasha is a sweetheart. Innocent, beautiful, and young. She needs her mother, though. At this very minute, she's _still_ asking where you are."

"W-Why is she going to the airport?" Tori sat down beside her and gently brushed Trina's hair back. Trina scrunched her eyebrows and held her breath.

"Because. She needs to be flown to New York. Jade and I are stationed in New York. Benjamin is a powerful attorney, I'm working for the FBI, and well…I have a nice house that I think you and your daughter will enjoy." Trina cupped her hands over her mouth and squealed with delight.

"Y-You mean?"

"I mean, I'm taking you out of this life. I'm going to help you, Trina. You and Sasha both. Whether you realize it or not, dealing with Beck, you saved our lives. Me and Jade. Now, it's my turn. My big sister needs me, and when I needed you, you protected and took care of me…This time, I'm going to protect you."

Trina continued to weep, overwhelmed by her sister's kindness and love. She didn't want to believe it was possible. She thought the only way out was death, tragedy, but now she saw that maybe there was another way. "Y-You should hate me. I live with so much guilt…so many things I'm responsible for…"

"I couldn't hate you. No matter what. I know you did things back in the day, and even up to this very day." Tori smirked subtly and lifted her eyebrows up. "For instance, I know you're the one that attacked those Viperz outside Sasha's preschool the other day." Trina's jaw dropped as Tori crossed her arms. "Don't think we weren't watching. We were. In fact, I'm going to be perfectly honest…All the time you thought I wasn't around, that I was gone and you weren't able to contact me?" Tori lowered her arms and exhaled slowly. "I was here. With Jade, with Director Lunsford and even General Vance. We watched, because I wanted to convince them that there was something left in you that would let us save you. There was. Your beautiful daughter, and some light left in you...I couldn't lose you. I lost Dad, Mom, _everyone_…I…could never lose you."

"And you found something good in me?"

"Yes, as I said, Sasha. You love that girl with all your heart. She is excited to see you when you get back, Trina." Tori put an arm around Trina's shoulders and motioned for the others to leave. They did as asked, and Tori closed her eyes. "When you get to my place. I'm going to find you help through one of the best guidance counselors. You're going to have a chance to live again."

"Yeah, but…" She had to confess to Tori the things she did. It may not matter to Tori, but it mattered to her. She wanted to know if her sister really would forgive her. She clenched her eyes shut and sobbed once. "I…I need to confess. I-I ordered Andre's death." Tori tensed slightly and glanced over with a subtle frown. "I was the one who killed mom. I was angry, hurt, hated that she was hurting you and dad…"

"Okay…"

"I got Robbie hooked on drugs after getting rid of that puppet of his. It was me. When the Cravens fell, I was the one who killed their leader by stabbing him with adrenaline shots." She put her hand to her chest and let out a weak whimper. "Can you _really_ forgive me? I was angry and stupid back then. Vengeful and full of hatred. The only good thing about me was Sasha…and she saved my life."

"Oh?"

"When Beck-when my guys killed him, I…I tried to end it." Tori breathed in slowly as Trina's body started to tremble. "I tried to take my life when I had a bad case of morning sickness. I had to throw up…Raven and Rachel came in, apparently buying that pregnancy test, and I just knew…"

She was shocked when Tori hugged her close and pat her back. Tori's voice lowered to a whisper and Trina shivered with fear. "Mom was shot and killed by the Scrapperz, led by Beck Oliver. Andre hung himself outside his window and Robbie overdosed on Heroin. Wesley, the leader of the Cravens had a heart attack while attempting some sort of bondage sex."

"Tori, I just-"

"No." Trina leaned back as Tori looked sternly into her eyes. "What I just said is the truth." She saw where this was going. Tori wasn't ignoring it and she saw it, but she was still saying it didn't matter to her. "You're my sister, and I will always love you. I don't care what you may have done in the past. I forgive you for everything, but I am glad you were honest…I know you've changed and you can change, you showed that because of Sasha."

"It's funny…when Jesse was with his fiancé…" Trina thought back and started to smile. "She really changed him from being angry. I think had she never been a part of his life, he would have been a lot worse. How worse, I'm not sure, but yeah…then there's my daughter-"

"And she's impacted your life. Now she needs her mother, and you need your baby. I refuse to separate you two, and I refuse to let you go." Tori cleared her throat and coughed once. "I also have a confession."

"What?"

"When I joined the FBI, we placed someone in the ranks of the Knights. So technically, I already know of these things that you're telling me." Trina's eyes widened and her heart began to race. At the same time, she was filled with relief and peace. "When we're done with removing the last couple of small gangs here in LA, when your body and internal organs recover from that shot, you're coming to live with me and Ben. Understand? Because I'm not asking at this point." Tori's smirk grew, though Trina wouldn't turn her down no matter what.

"I understand just fine. You're not lettin' me go, huh?"

"Not a chance this time." Trina smiled with confidence and closed her eyes. She was ready then, for the freedom and the redemption she'd so sought after. "Just a couple things we have to finish as I said, but you'll be home soon. I promise."

"I love you, Tori." Tori squeezed her hand and smiled warmly.

"Love you too, Trina."

It took a couple of weeks before the fighting in LA came to an end, and everyone had to recover from the war. Trina's body fully recovered as well, and she was on her way to Tori's condo in New York City.

All of this was nice, but in her heart, she only wanted one thing. When she arrived at the building with Tori at her side, she saw her sister's husband walking out with Sasha trailing behind. Her heart swelled as she made eye contact with her daughter.

"Mommy!" Sasha cried out in jubilee. Trina knelt on bended knee and spread her arms out as tears fled down her cheeks. Her daughter made a break for her, crying heavily as Trina scooped her up into her arms. "Mommy I missed you so much!"

"I'm home now baby." Trina showered her daughter with kisses and hugged her close, weeping softly. "Have-have you been good for Uncle Ben?" Sasha pushed up on Trina's shoulders and nodded her head. The girl wiped her tears with the back of her hand, then hugged Trina's neck.

"Yes mommy, he was teaching me to read a little bit. Are we safe now, Mommy? No more bad men?"

"Yes. No more bad men."

"Good! I don't want anything to happen to you…I love you momma." Sasha snuggled up into Trina's neck, sniffling and breathing heavily. "I was scared, mommy. Uncle Ben said you'd be okay, but I was scared I wouldn't _see_ you."

"Oh sweetheart." Trina could feel her daughter's heart pounding hard. She hugged her tight and closed her eyes as the wind started to rush past her. "Mommy's home, and I'm not going anywhere this time." Her eyelids opened halfway and she saw the familiar red and gold leaves circling with the wind and forming a protective circle on the ground around both mother and daughter.

Tori stood with Ben on the outside of the circle, and Jade was smiling from the car. For once, Trina felt secure. Her eyes drifted to the nearby tree, dropping its leaves for the fall, and what she saw startled her, but at the same time, warmed her heart.

Standing at the trunk of the tree was a vision that Sasha was now gazing at. Mother and daughter were finally at peace and looking on with warm smiles at the two men surrounded by the autumn leaves. Sinjin was standing with his arms crossed, legs spread, and a pleasant, knowing smile on his face. Jesse had his arms crossed and was leaning his shoulder up against the tree, his leather jacket was zipped, and a proud expression was shown on his face.

Trina began to tear up as the two men faded, and the leaves began to fall towards the ground. She looked back to her daughter's gentle gaze and kissed her forehead. "We're home free, baby…"

Finally, or at least for now, the struggle was over, and the next step of their lives had only just begun.

* * *

There is a reason for the open-endedness of that last line. There is a sequel to this, or more a continuation. "Clean Slate". Anyway, Leaves if over, I hope you've enjoyed it, I certainly enjoyed writing it. Thanks again to all who've followed this through the end, hope to see more of you in the future.


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